Mary Skelter-Tales of Halcyon Days
by 9arm
Summary: After escaping from the Jail, Jack and the Blood Maidens enter Shinzo Academy, a high school located in the small town of Wonder Ville. As they begin their new tale of an ordinary life, what lies in wait for them? (This story is a sequel to Compile Heart's Mary Skelter: Nightmares)
1. Prologue

_Fifteen years ago, a city in Japan crumbled and was cut out from the light of the surface for as long as people could remember. From where the city once stood, an ominous tower rose and beneath it was a living prison which possessed a desire for blood, lust and sleep. This prison was called the "Jail"._

 _The Jail gave birth to creatures called the Marchens, beings that captured humans and imprisoned them in the Jail's wards. For what seemed to be an eternity, the humans were tortured by their captors-day in day out-all so that the Jail's desires could be fulfilled._

 _However, within the confines of the Jail was an organization called the Dawn which sought to free the people from their suffering and to escape from the Jail. Among the members of the Dawn were a group of youths who possessed the power to fight the Marchens-A boy named Jack and a group of girls called the Blood Maidens._

 _Together with their friends from the Dawn, Jack and the Blood Maidens fought against the wardens of the Jail, the Nightmares, and rescued the humans held captive by the Marchens. After going through various perils and challenges, Jack and his friends climbed atop the Jail's tower and faced the mastermind behind the Jail-An otherworldly being called the "Snark" who had taken up the identity of Dawn's deceased founder, Professor Tohjima._

 _In the final confrontation between Jack's group and the Snark, the latter merged himself with the Jail and turned into a monstrous entity bent on destruction. However, with the help of an angelic being born from the desire to save the world, Jack and his friends were able to defeat the Snark and destroyed the tower they stood on._

 _Jack and his friends' efforts marked the end of the peoples' confinement in the Jail. With the tower destroyed and the Snark defeated, the angel led everyone to the surface world. Having fulfilled her mission, the angel left and watched over the world._

 _And it was at that point that things began to turn out for the better for everyone._

 _As soon as everyone set foot onto the surface world, they were greeted by people from neighboring cities and rescue workers, all of whom have prayed for the safety of those who were caught in the disaster from fifteen years ago. Those who saw their family members reunited with them instantly. Those who did not were assisted by the rescue workers in reaching home._

 _The members of the Dawn including Jack and the Blood Maidens were sent to a governmental organization in Japan called the National Defense Bureau. There, Haru and Miko, two of the Dawn's members as well as Jack's friends, explained the experiences that the people endured during their time in the Jail._

 _After a long period of discussion, the National Defense Bureau agreed to help the Dawn in rebuilding the city destroyed by the Jail as well as to prevent future threats related to it. In addition, the Bureau, at Haru's request, will conceal the identity of Jack and the Blood Maidens from the public so as to enable them to live a normal peaceful life._

 _From there onwards, everyone began to pursue their own course of action. The Dawn established itself in the National Defense Bureau and worked together with them. The Order of the Sun, led by Michiru and Hitsuka, travelled around Japan to tend to those in need._

 _As for Jack and the Blood Maidens, they were sent to the small town of Wonder Ville along with a member of the Dawn, Doctor Shirosagi, who volunteered to be their guardian. There, Jack and the girls enroll themselves as students in the town's local high school, Shinzo Academy._

 _A new tale of wonders and adventure begins for Jack and his company…_


	2. Chapter 1

Wonder Ville-A small town which is the suburb of a city in Japan called Wonder City. In the middle of Wonder Ville is the Central Plaza housing various shops, a hospital, a bank and a police station, all of them surrounding a roundabout which branches out into four roads, each leading to a different place.

One road leads to Wonder Ville's residential area north of the Central Plaza. The road heading east of the Central Plaza branches into two locations, the town's local park and a beach. The southern road serves as the entrance for people to come into and go out of Wonder Ville. Finally, the western road takes people to Wonder Ville's local high school, Shinzo Academy.

On the western road, students are walking towards Shinzo Academy ready to begin their morning at school. The date is April 3rd, the start of a new schooling year for Japanese high school students. It is at this time of year that people look forward to new things. And something new is happening indeed.

A group of students walking on the western road caught the attention of some of the other students there. The group was comprised of a young boy with light blue hair and a group of girls whose appearances made the heads of boys turn.

The group was none other than Jack and the Blood Maidens. Jack and the girls had been looking forward to being in a school. It is not strange for them to think like that as they never knew the concept of a school during their time in the Jail. For that purpose, the group had made preparations together with their guardian, Doctor Shirosagi-Mr. Shiro for short-in their shared house in the residential area.

For starters, Jack and the girls were allowed to wear the same clothes they wore during their time with the Dawn. However, Hameln was required to wear proper clothes since her usual ones laid most of her form bare. Though Hameln was initially reluctant to do so, she accepted after being convinced that what she would wear would suit her image. With that, Hameln settled for a white blouse covered with a black cape which parted in the middle and was adorned with a grey ribbon, along with a black beret.

Additionally, the weapons that the group used to fight the Marchens were left under the care of the National Defense Bureau. It was obviously the correct decision as bringing them to Wonder Ville would elicit suspicion from the town's inhabitants. People would be bewildered if they were to for instance, see Red Riding Hood walk around town while carrying her humongous pair of scissors.

Jack and the Blood Maidens were also provided with the standard items an ordinary high school student requires courtesy of Mr. Shiro-A school bag containing books and stationary along with a hand phone. Jack and his friends were particularly fascinated by the hand phone and it's features. In fact, Rapunzel was easily amused by the various noises it makes when it is used.

With everything in order, Jack and his friends left their house for Shinzo Academy. After walking for some time, they reached the school's main gate and marveled at it's appearance-A huge red and white colored three story building with an automatic door as it's entrance. Jack and his friends were even amazed at the school's barren but, clean front yard.

"So, this is a school…" Alice stated as everyone gazed at Shinzo Academy in awe.

"It's very huge!" Cinderella remarked.

"So huge!" Rapunzel expressed delight over the school's size. "Rapunzel wants to play in it!"

Gretel gave a small chuckle. "I wonder what mysteries lie in wait inside this "school" that we are about to enter,"

"Well, there's only one way to find out," Jack smiled at his friends. "Shall we go in?"

"Of course!" Red Riding Hood spoke with excitement. "I can't wait to see what's inside together with everyone!"

"It was quite a chore to have walked all the way to this school though," Kaguya said in her usual lazy tone. Smiling, she added, "But, if it means discovering new things, I find no problem in doing so,"

"You sure have grown out of your laziness, Princess Lazy," Thumbelina was seemingly impressed by Kaguya's words.

"Do not misunderstand," Kaguya replied. "I still wish to slack off when the opportunity arises,"

"Well, then!" Hameln addressed everyone with gusto causing some passing by students to notice her. "Let us venture into the unknowns of the school and reveal it's bountifool-I mean; bountiful mysteries! Onwards, my fellow friends! Hurrah! Hurrah!" With that, Hameln walked ahead of Jack's group and headed for the school's entrance. The rest of the group was slightly surprised at Hameln's behavior.

"Hameln's really into this…" Snow White commented.

"Yeah," said Jack. "Anyway, let's catch up with her,"

"Alright, let's go, everyone," At Red Riding Hood's words, the group followed Hameln into the school.

* * *

Shinzo Academy is Wonder Ville's one and only high school. It has three floors each corresponding with a school year; first years on the first floor, second years on the second and third years on the third. Each of the floors has four classrooms at the front of the school building which can have up to 20 students each. The three floors also have two restrooms as well as two rooms for Home Economics lessons and rooms for club activities.

Additionally, the teacher's office, cafeteria, assembly hall, infirmary and storeroom are situated on the first floor. There is even a library on the school's third floor. Furthermore, Shinzo Academy has a huge backyard where Physical Education lessons are held. On top of that, there are changing rooms containing lockers and shower rooms in each floor of the school.

In the classrooms, word had spread about a bunch of newcomers who will be joining the first years. The first year students were standing around in their classes, chatting about their soon-to-be classmates. As they talked, each of the classroom's respective teachers along with the newcomers came into the class. Seeing this, the students quickly went back to their seats.

The newcomers were Jack and the Blood Maidens. They have been enrolled into all the first year classrooms; Jack and Alice in Class 1-1, Thumbelina, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty in Class 1-2, Red Riding Hood, Cinderella and Rapunzel in Class 1-3, and Kaguya, Hameln and Gretel in Class 1-4. The minute the students looked at their new classmates, they became awestruck.

"Everyone, today we have a group of students who have recently moved into Wonder Ville. Two of them, whom are with us now, are joining all of you as first years along with their friends," said Class 1-1's teacher, Ms. Joshima. Ms. Joshima is a woman in her thirties with short black hair. She was dressed in a black coat with a red dress underneath it. After addressing Class 1-1, Ms. Joshima turned to Jack and Alice saying, "Would you like to introduce yourselves to everyone?"

Jack felt a little nervous. This was going to be his first time joining a group of ordinary people living a life outside of the one he and his friends previously lived in-Their life of battling Marchens in the depths of the Jail. Despite this, Jack maintained his natural kind self and with a smile, began introducing himself.

"Um… My name is Jack. It's nice to meet all of you. I hope we can get along well with each other,"

"My name is Alice," Alice followed up. "It's a pleasure to meet every one of you. Let's do our best together," As Jack and Alice introduced themselves in Class 1-1, the rest of their companions did the same in their respective classes.

"I'm Thumbelina and I'm the eldest among my sisters here. Hope we can get along,"

"My name is Snow White and I'm the second youngest. Snow White is pleased to meet all of you!"

"I'm… Sleeping Beauty… Nice to meet you…" Sleeping Beauty spoke in her sleepy tone which she normally does.

"Yo! Morning, everyone!" Red Riding Hood gave a cheerful greeting to Class 1-3's students. "I'm Red Riding Hood. Looking forward to being with all of you!"

"My name is Cinderella," Cinderella spoke in a refined manner. "It is a pleasure to meet every one of you,"

"I'm Rapunzel!" Rapunzel introduced herself in an innocent, bubbly tone. "Rapunzel wants to be friends with everybody!"

"I am Kaguya," Kaguya held her hand fan as she spoke. "You may address me as Princess Kaguya,"

"I am the great Hameln!" Hameln gave a passionate introduction, surprising the whole of Class 1-4. "And I have a dream-To conquer the hearts of all men and women alike by becoming their friend!"

"My name is Gretel," Gretel spoke in a deadpan manner. "My primary objective is to learn about the world and it's many wonders," With a sly grin, Gretel added, "And if the opportunity arises, I would gladly research all of you," A few of Class 1-4's students seemed to cringe at Gretel's words.

With the introductions done, the students in Classes 1-1 to 1-4 gave varied reactions. A majority of the male students fell head over heels for the Blood Maidens, notably Alice, Red Riding Hood, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty. A few of the female students in Class 1-1 commented on how cute Jack looked. A few other students along with Ms. Joshima found it peculiar for the Blood Maidens to be named after fairy tales.

Regardless, Jack and the Blood Maidens were welcomed warmly. Everyone then began to settle down for classes. In Class 1-1, Jack and Alice took two seats at the back of their classroom, next to the windows. Thumbelina and her two sisters sat in the middle of their class. Red Riding Hood's group also sat in the middle of their class while Kaguya's group sat at the front seats of their classroom.

With that, morning lessons began. As the lessons progressed, it was clear that Jack and his friends were standing out from their classmates. In Class 1-1, Alice gave a correct answer to a complex Science question posed by Ms. Joshima. Jack offered to help a student answer a question although he had to flip several pages from his textbook in order to find the answer.

As for Class 1-2, Thumbelina and her sisters impressed their classmates during Home Economics by baking a batch of delicious cookies. Their classmates, especially the boys, became elated when Sleeping Beauty distributed them to everyone. Sleeping Beauty's aesthetics combined with her kindness won the hearts of Class 1-2's students, making her called the class's "Goddess".

In Class 1-3, Rapunzel was intrigued by the works of her classmates during the Craft lessons. She became so excited to the point where she played with their craftworks as if they were toys. Though the students were initially surprised by Rapunzel's actions, the latter's innocence and bubbly behavior won them over, causing the students to be amused by her actions. Even Red Riding Hood and Cinderella were amused to the point of laughing at Rapunzel's antics.

Class 1-4's students were astounded by their new classmates' performance in the Music and Mathematics class. Hameln played a full pipe song ahead of her classmates, who were learning the song from scratch. As Hameln was playing the pipe, Kaguya mesmerized the class with a Japanese fan dance. During Mathematics class, Gretel wrote down complex mathematical equations on the blackboard at lightning speed. She appeared to be enjoying herself as Gretel wore a huge grin on her face while writing them down.

The morning lessons then ended giving way to lunch time. During this time, the school's students would go to the cafeteria. The cafeteria, located on the right of the school's first floor, was spacious. It has four long tables for students to sit at and have their meals. After buying food from the cafeteria's counter, a lot of the students would sit at the tables. The other students would eat in their classrooms or at any other part of the school.

Jack's group decided to sit together at one of the tables. The group enjoyed their food especially Rapunzel, who had the most voracious appetite among them all. Some of the students in the cafeteria were flabbergasted from watching Rapunzel wolfing down huge portions of food. But, for Jack and the Blood Maidens, they were happy to see Rapunzel do so as it was a sign that Rapunzel was enjoying herself.

While Jack and his friends ate their lunch, the group talked about what they did during their classes. In the middle of their conversation, a group of second year and third year students rushed towards their table and attempted to hit on the girls.

"Hi, pretty girl," said a second year to Alice. "Want to go out with me?"

"I'm sorry, I'll have to pass," Alice responded politely.

"Hey, cuties," a third year said to Red Riding Hood, Cinderella and Rapunzel. Pointing to his two companions, the third year continued, "How would you girls like to go out on a date with us?"

"A date? What's that?" asked Rapunzel.

"I apologize but, we have to kindly refuse your offer. We're quite busy ourselves," Cinderella gave the three third years a gentle smile.

"Aw, come on, don't be shy," said one of the third year's companions. Looking at Red Riding Hood, he then said, "You're pretty cute you know. What's your name?"

Red Riding Hood laughed lightly. "Oh, stop it, you! I'm not that cute," While Red Riding Hood was speaking, a trio of second year students was trying to woo Sleeping Beauty. Thumbelina, being protective of her sister, scared them away with a glare. At the same time, a few more students attempted to hit on Alice. Upon seeing the students, she felt a little uncomfortable.

Seeing Alice's reaction, Jack decided to step in. "Excuse me. Could you give us some space for a moment?" Jack said firmly to the students hitting on Alice. "We're in the middle of lunch. If there's something you need, we can talk more afterwards,"

"Jack…" Alice raised her eyebrows. She knew that Jack would stand up for her at times. This time, however, she felt as if Jack's words were more intense than usual even though he was not displaying any strong emotions.

"Who are you?" asked one of the students hitting on Alice. "Are you her boyfriend or something?" Hearing this, Jack became surprised.

"Huh?! No, it's not like that! It's just that she's important to me-" At this, the Blood Maidens stared at Jack in surprise. The Blood Maidens knew that Jack cares for them greatly. However, this was their first time seeing him getting worked up over someone hitting on them or in this case, on Alice.

"Um… I mean my friends here are important to me," Jack motioned towards the Blood Maidens. "We grew up together so, I just want to make sure that they don't get disturbed too much," The students hitting on Alice, Red Riding Hood, Cinderella and Rapunzel became shocked at Jack's words and shouted out a loud, "WHAAAAAAT?!".

"You're friends with all these girls?!" one of them exclaimed.

"And you grew up under the same roof with them?!" said another.

"What kind of guy is this?! He's too lucky!" The students then left Jack's group, still shocked over what they had just learnt. Seeing that the students were gone, Thumbelina breathed a sigh of relief.

"Glad that's over," Thumbelina said to Jack, "Good thing you chased them away, Jack. I kind of felt that they were getting obnoxious,"

"Did I? I didn't really do much…" said Jack.

"You came up with a lie that we lived together just to imply to them that we are with you," Gretel smiled mischievously at Jack. "Quite the move you made, Jack,"

"I-I just said that instinctively!" Jack was slightly embarrassed. "I didn't mean anything in particular!"

"Still, Jack, you really were something. Saying things like 'She's important to me!' when it came to Alice," Red Riding Hood started to tease Jack and Alice. "Could it be that the two of you have something for each other?"

"What are you saying? That's not true!" Alice exclaimed.

"Exactly! We're just friends!" Jack followed suit.

"Your faces are turning red though," Red Riding Hood continued.

"Did Jack and Alice make babies?" Rapunzel asked with a smile.

"We did not!" Jack and Alice started to blush. As Red Riding Hood playfully teased Jack and Alice, Gretel got out of her seat and began leaving the table.

"Where are you going, Gretel?" asked Kaguya.

"I am going to do some research," Gretel said as she walked away from everyone. "There are many places in this school that I have yet to analyze," As Gretel left, Jack and his friends continued talking at their table. So far, things are going well for Jack and the Blood Maidens. It was clear that they were enjoying their first day of school.

* * *

The rooftop of Shinzo Academy contains nothing save a shed in which the roof's staircase is located. It is even ringed with a parapet decorated with the school's emblem-A heart lined with a silver border imprinted with the words "A heart above all else". Rarely anyone goes to the rooftop as there is nothing up there.

One exception is a group of third year delinquents comprised of five males. They are Ichijo, a brown haired youth with a bony face, Nijima, who has green hair parting into two side bangs, Sanji, a young man with orange spiky hair and a fiery temper, Yoshikawa, a blonde who constantly puts on a serious face and lastly, Gotou, a stocky student with a black bowl cut.

Ichijo and his friends are the perfect example of a typical gang of school delinquents. They never study, they threaten any student who irks them, and they bully new students of the school. Because of this, they are feared by most of the students, particularly the first years. The school's principal had warned them a few times on their actions and gave them a chance to renew themselves. Despite this, their actions persisted.

The gang frequents the rooftop as their hideout during lunch. At their behest, a first year student would bring food to them. Usually, the gang will have their lunch delivered to them promptly. Today, their 'deliveryman', a black haired bespectacled student from Class 1-1, was late. Upon his arrival, Sanji berated him for the late delivery.

"You're late, shrimp! What took you so long?!"

"I-I'm sorry," the bespectacled student replied nervously while giving the delinquents their food. "I was about to talk to the new first year students. Then, I remembered your lunches and-"

"What's this?" Gotou walked menacingly towards the student. "A bunch of new students are more important than us? What makes you think you can leave us for them, huh?"

"I didn't say anything about that-"

"Then, stop wasting your time, you idiot!" Gotou cut the student off. "You're supposed to serve us lunch not to see anyone else! If you're late again, I'll set you straight, you incompetent junior!"

"Y-Yes!" the bespectacled student flinched at Gotou's words.

"If you understand, then go," Yoshikawa said. The bespectacled student then left the delinquents quickly.

"I got to say," said Nijima. "These new students that everyone's talking about are getting on my nerves. I feel as if they are going to hog all the first years' attention for themselves if we leave them be for too long,"

"In that case," Ichijo said in a serious tone. "How about we go say "hi" to them?"


	3. Chapter 2

Lunch time in Shinzo Academy had finished. It is now cleaning time for the school. At this time, the students and teachers will be cleaning up the classrooms and the teacher's office respectively. A few staff members handle the cleaning of the school's other facilities, mainly the restrooms.

Jack and Alice were particularly helpful towards their classmates. Not only did they help to clean Class 1-1, they even ensured that no one got themselves into any accidents. In Class 1-2, a pair of half-hearted male students was lying on their stomachs pretending to look so pale that they could not work.

"We-We can't go on anymore!" said the first student as he lifted his hand up weakly.

"We're going to die!" said his partner.

"Hey, you two quit fooling around!" a student sweeping the floor hollered out to the two lazy boys. "You haven't even done anything!"

Witnessing the lazy students' actions, Thumbelina frowned. "I've seen laziness before thanks to Princess Lazy but, this is a bit too much," she spoke to Snow White and Sleeping Beauty.

"This is Snow White's first time seeing someone go this far just to be lazy…" Snow White said. Just as she finished speaking, Sleeping Beauty walked towards the lazy students.

"Sleepy?" Thumbelina spoke as she and Snow White saw their younger sister stand in front of the lazy boys. Sleeping Beauty looked down at the two boys and the latter looked at her in return. The sight of Sleeping Beauty's aesthetics caused the color of the two boys' faces to slowly return to their youthful color.

"Hey…" Sleeping Beauty spoke as a smile slowly crept across the two boys' faces. Smiling, she added, "Want to… work together?"

At this, the two lazy students quickly got up onto their feet, grabbed the nearest cleaning tools and shouted, "Yes, Sleeping Beauty! If it's for our Goddess, we're willing to do anything!" The lazy students then proceeded to vigorously clean the classroom while making loud cries of enthusiasm. The rest of Class 1-2 became dumbfounded at their drastic change in behavior.

"Our dear sister is amazing…" Thumbelina remarked.

"Indeed, Big Sis Thumbelina…" Snow White nodded in agreement to Thumbelina's words.

In Class 1-3, Cinderella was cleaning up the whole classroom with great precision and efficiency. Everyone including Red Riding Hood and Rapunzel were amazed at Cinderella's work. As soon as she finished, the students cheered at Cinderella's efforts.

"That was amazing!" a female student praised Cinderella. "Are you an avid cleaner or something?"

"Yeah, Cinderella!" Red Riding Hood stated. "You really went all out!"

"Rapunzel thinks so too!" said Rapunzel.

"Why, thank you," Cinderella smiled. "It is not that I am an avid cleaner though. To be honest, I just felt like wanting to help everyone in this classroom,"

"With all that cleaning you did, it's no wonder you're called Cinderella," said a male student.

"Ohohoho!" Cinderella gave a short laugh. "Yes, indeed!" Cinderella was not surprised at the male student's comment. This is because the Blood Maidens as well as Jack knew that they were reincarnated forms of the characters from their respective fairy tales. They had learnt about this during the time they climbed up the Jail's tower.

"By the way," the female student who praised Cinderella spoke to her, Red Riding Hood and Rapunzel. "How did you three get your names? I'm curious as to how your names happen to be the same as the fairy tales we read,"

"Me too," the male student who commented on Cinderella's name said. "I wonder who was it that gave your names,"

"Well…" Cinderella could not think of a way of answering without revealing the Blood Maidens' origins. "About that…"

Seeing Cinderella's hesitance, Red Riding Hood grinned and answered in her place. "About that, it's a secret. That aside, let's wrap up our cleaning here, shall we?"

Meanwhile, in Class 1-4, Hameln was trying to convince a trio of slackers sitting near the classroom's walls to help clean the class. Kaguya was sitting on her chair watching Hameln exert her "authority" all while slacking off on her own. Gretel was not present in the classroom as she had left to do something on her own.

"You lazy cretins!" Hameln was getting impatient. "If you refuse to heed my words, you shall face my wrath!"

"Yeah, yeah, we hear you," said one of the slackers in an uncaring tone.

"Leave those slackers be, Hameln," Kaguya spoke. "Clearly, your words are not reaching them at all,"

"Speaking of slackers, you aren't doing anything as well, Princess," said a male student near Kaguya.

"Why I am. I am observing the happenings of this classroom. Does that not suffice?"

"That's not what I meant…"

As Hameln continued talking to the slackers, Gretel entered the classroom with a spherical flask containing a pink bubbling liquid in her hand. The flask caught the eyes of Class 1-4's students and they began to look pale. For reasons unknown, they began to have a very bad feeling just by seeing the flask's contents. The slackers however, paid no attention to the current situation.

"Oh, Gretel! You have returned!" Seeing Gretel, Hameln moved towards her.

"There you are, Gretel," Kaguya turned to look at Gretel. "Where have you been? And what is that in your hand?"

"A concoction I made using ingredients from a place called the 'Science Club'", Gretel replied with her usual neutral face. "I must say they had quite the array of materials that could be used for experiments," While Gretel spoke, she seemed to be oblivious of the students staring at her flask.

"Um… Gretel? What exactly is that in your hand?" asked one of them. Gretel looked at the student.

"As I said, it is a concoction I made. To be precise, it is an energy inducing potion meant to enable one to work the double the pace. At least, in theory anyway,"

"Is that so?!" Hameln became intrigued by Gretel's explanation.

"As I was saying, that is only in theory. The problem is who I should test it on,"

"Then, in that case, test that portion-I mean; potion on them!" Hameln pointed towards the slackers she spoke to earlier. Hearing Hameln's words, the students became surprised.

"Oh? And why do you propose that I test it on them?" Gretel asked Hameln.

"It is because they are lazing around without a single care in the world!" replied Hameln. "I have tried to change their ways only to have my efforts be in vain! As such, this calls for stronger measures!"

"Indeed, you are correct, Hameln," A realization dawned upon Gretel. "Lazy people would indeed be the perfect specimens for me to test the potion on. In that case…" Gretel started to walk towards the slackers. All eyes were on her as she faced the slackers.

"What is it now?" said one of them. "If you're going to lecture us like your friend did, we are not interested,"

"I see that you are slacking off just as Kaguya does," Gretel spoke to the slackers. "How sloppy indeed," Smiling, Gretel added, "Here, I have the perfect solution for your behavior," Gretel held out her flask in front of the slackers.

"Wh-What is that?" one of the slackers' partners asked. He and his companions started to feel the same bad feeling felt by the students who saw the flask.

"It's just a little experiment I'm about to perform," Still smiling, Gretel approached the leader of the slackers. "Do not worry. This will be over soon,"

"What are you-" The slackers' leader became interrupted when Gretel grabbed his cheeks with her free hand and held the flask over his mouth. "Hey, what are you doing?!" he then exclaimed. Everyone except Hameln and Kaguya became shocked at Gretel's actions.

"Did I not tell you? It's an experiment. All you just need to do is take one sip of this concoction and you will be up and running in no time," Gretel slowly moved the mouth of the flask towards the slacker's mouth. The whole classroom save Hameln and Kaguya watched in fear as Gretel was about to pour the flask's contents into the slacker's mouth. The slackers in particular, were so afraid that their eyes widened and they trembled.

"Now then, open wide," A huge grin appeared on Gretel's face. Seeing this, the slackers screamed in fright and quickly moved away from her.

"Alright, alright!" the leader shouted. "We'll help clean the class! Just don't make us drink that stuff!" And just like that, the slackers started to clean some windows. Seeing this, a lot of the students gaped at Gretel.

"Oh, my," Gretel reverted to her neutral self. "It's a pity that my would-be test subjects ran off like that," Looking at the flask in her hand, she frowned, "What should I do with this now? It would be a waste to throw it away," Turning to the students who witnessed her 'experiment', she then asked, "Would you all like to try this in their stead?"

"NO WAY!" the students yelled.

"Good grief…" Kaguya frowned at the current turn of events.

It was now ten minutes before cleaning time ends. Back at Class 1-1, everyone had finished cleaning and began to pass the time by talking with each other. Some of the students thanked Jack and Alice for their help. Just then, Jack and Alice noticed a black haired bespectacled boy standing at the end of the classroom. He was the same person who delivered food to the delinquents at the rooftop. On top of that, he looked rather anxious. Seeing this, Jack and Alice approached the boy and greeted him.

"Hello there," Jack said.

"Good afternoon," said Alice.

"Huh?" the boy shot nervous glances at both of them. "Oh, um, good afternoon. You two are Jack and Alice, right?"

"Yeah, what's your name?" Jack smiled.

"I'm… Hinata. Hinata Taketori. Just call me Hinata," As Hinata spoke, he clutched both his arms with his hands.

"We noticed that you looked rather pale," Alice stated. "Did something happen?" Hinata's eyebrows rose up. He felt as if Alice had read his mind.

"N-no, it's nothing," Hinata shook his head. "It's none of your concern,"

Jack and Alice became curious. "What do you mean?" asked Jack.

"That's…" As Hinata was about to speak, five third year students walked into Class 1-1 and stood in front of it's students. They were none other than Ichijo and his delinquent friends. Their presence caused everyone in Class 1-1 except Jack and Alice to become fearful. Hinata widened his eyes in fear as he did not expect the delinquents' presence.

"Alright, listen up you all!" Ichijo hollered out to the whole class. "We heard about a bunch of new students coming into our school and grabbing you first years' attention! Where are they?!" Silence filled Class 1-1. No one dared to speak to the delinquents.

"Hinata, who are these students?" Alice whispered.

"They… They're a group of delinquents from the third year," Hinata replied while trying to cover up his fear. "They're known for bullying other students of this school,"

Seeing Hinata's fearful expression, Jack said, "Hinata, could it be that these delinquents are the reason for your behavior?" Hinata gave Jack a surprised look.

"How did you-"

"Hey, what are you three doing talking amongst yourselves?!" Nijima called out to Jack, Alice and Hinata. "Get over here now!" The whole class watched anxiously as the trio walked to the front of the class and met the delinquents. When the two parties faced each other, the delinquents recognized Hinata.

"Well, what do we have here?" Sanji mocked Hinata. "Our delivery boy getting all buddy-buddy with two classmates instead of us?" Giving a threatening glare, he added, "You've got some nerve. How about telling us where the new students are?"

"We are the new students you are looking for," Alice spoke calmly while motioning to Jack. Ichijo's gang focused their eyes on Jack and Alice.

"You two are the new students?" Yoshikawa asked them.

"Yes. Actually, there're more of us in the other first year classes," answered Jack. "Why are you looking for us by the way?"

"We heard that our friend here tried to talk to you people during lunch time," Gotou looked at Hinata as he talked. "And thanks to that, he failed to deliver our lunch in time,"

"And your point is?" asked Alice.

"The point missy," Nijima looked at Jack and Alice in an unpleasant way. "Is that we expect everybody to have their attention on us alone. But, thanks to you and your friends, everybody including our delivery boy is so fixated on you and we're starting to think they may forget about us,"

"You are implying that we should not get in your way so that you get what you want?" Alice said in a neutral tone.

"That's right!" Ichijo gave a curt reply. "Everyone should do nothing but serve us alone! So, don't go around acting as if you own this place!"

Alice began to put on a serious face. "If all you want is attention, how about starting to carry yourself out more appropriately?" Hearing this, the eyes of Class 1-1's students including Hinata widened. Jack was concerned about Alice. Despite this, he maintained his composure.

"What did you say?" Sanji seemed displeased at Alice's words.

"From the way you are conducting yourself, you're all acting as if the whole world revolves around you," Alice spoke to the delinquents, still looking serious. "If you ask me, this is nothing more than selfishness,"

"And on top of that," Alice referred to her classmates. "You're intimidating people around you with your behavior. I do not see how that garners attention. Rather, it is more like you are subjugating those below you,"

"So, what?" Gotou raised his head. "We're two years your senior so it's only natural for us to do such a thing. You got a problem with that or something?"

"If it's natural then, tell me," Alice's voice became firmer. "Are you proud of what you are doing then?" At this, the delinquents raised their eyebrows.

"What are you-" Ichijo's words were soon interrupted by Sanji.

"Don't you dare question us like that!" Sanji stepped forward and pointed his finger at Alice. "You want us to rough you up?!"

"Yeah, you want some?!" Nijima loomed over Alice.

"Hey, cut it out!" Jack stood in between Alice and the delinquents. "We're not trying to cause any trouble. We're just saying that you should stop what you are doing!"

Nijima grabbed Jack's collar and glared at him. "Oh, yeah? How about we beat you up first, then?"

"Jack!" Alice became worried along with the whole class. It was obvious that tensions were flaring up.

"No, wait!" Jack started to look anxious. "You can't-"

"What's going on here?" a female teacher walked into Class 1-1 causing everyone to look at her. The teacher was none other than Ms. Joshima. Seeing Nijima holding onto Jack's collar, she said in a stern voice to the delinquents, "Bullying students again? Didn't the principal warn all of you on your actions before?"

"We just came to greet the new students," Ichijo replied rudely. "It's not your problem how we do it,"

"Then, I suggest you leave this classroom now. We have been lenient towards you but, if you keep up with this, we will have to impose stricter action," Hearing this, Nijima let go of Jack's collar. The delinquents then decided to leave.

"Tch. Fine. Let's go, guys," At Ichijo's words, he and his gang walked past Ms. Joshima and left the classroom. After they left, the students talked amongst themselves about Alice's courageous stand against the delinquents. At the same time, Ms. Joshima approached Jack, Alice and Hinata.

"Are you three alright?" she then asked the trio.

"We are fine. Thank you," replied Alice.

"I apologize for Ichijo and his friends' behavior," Ms. Joshima looked apologetic. "Our students are usually very nice towards others. However, they are an exception,"

"Miss Joshima, you said that you've been lenient towards those delinquents," stated Jack. "Can I ask what you mean by that?"

"I'm afraid that will have to wait for another time. Afternoon classes are about to commence. It's best that you settle down for now,"

"Ms. Joshima's right," Alice said to Jack. "Cleaning time has just finished so we best get ready for classes," With that, afternoon classes started and the students continued on with their normal routine despite the disturbing events that previously unfolded.

* * *

It is now 3.30 pm and school had finished. At this hour, students will either hang out at Wonder Ville's shops or attend the school's clubs. For Jack and his company, they decided to gather at a spot which was a short distance away from the school entrance. There, the group shared their cleaning time experiences. Jack and Alice even explained about Hinata and Ichijo's gang.

"I see," Gretel was the first to comment about the duo's explanation. "The two of you had indeed met with some troublesome individuals,"

"To think there are such people on the surface," Kaguya said. "How arrogant of them,"

"I must admit that it was quite bold of you to make those hooligans know their place with your words," Hameln happily said to Alice. "Your deeds deserve a salute, m'lady!"

"Thank you, Hameln," Alice replied with a smile. "To be honest though, Jack was bolder than I was. He stood in front of me when two of the delinquents shouted threats at me,"

"You don't have to be so humble, Alice," Jack smiled at Alice. "I only did what was necessary to ensure nothing happened to you,"

"I got to say what you did was pretty impressive, Alice," Red Riding Hood commented. Grinning, she added, "And once again, Jack, you stood up for her. You two really have a thing for each other,"

"Could we please not talk about that again, Red Riding Hood?" Jack looked uncomfortable as he spoke.

"Well if you think about it, Sister Red has a point," Thumbelina smiled. "I mean Jack and Alice always care for one another,"

"You too, Thumbelina?!" Jack became surprised.

"Snow White thinks the same as well, dear sister," Snow White said with a smile. Sleeping Beauty nodded in agreement to Snow White's words. At that moment, Jack and Alice tried hard not to blush.

"Then, shall we put that to the test?" Gretel put on a mischievous grin. "We could conduct a love experiment between the two of them,"

"I'd rather you don't…" Alice gave Gretel an uneasy look. Suddenly, Alice's attention shifted towards a group of six students going out of the school entrance.

"Jack, look," Alice motioned for Jack to look at the students. Seeing Jack and Alice, the rest of the group followed suit. "Isn't that Hinata?"

"Yeah, and he's with the delinquents from earlier," True to Jack's words, Hinata was following Ichijo's gang albeit, reluctantly. Hinata and the delinquents were walking towards the main gate and did not notice Jack's group while they did.

"So, those were the delinquents you were telling us about?" Red Riding Hood asked Jack and Alice.

"Yes. The one wearing glasses is Hinata, the student who is in the same class as I and Jack," said Alice as she looked intently at the delinquents and Hinata.

"Snow White wonders where they are going," said Snow White.

"I don't know," Jack looked concerned. "But, I have a bad feeling about this,"

"Why, Jack?" Rapunzel asked.

"It's just my intuition, Rapunzel," Jack answered Rapunzel.

"In that case, let's follow them," suggested Alice. "I'm concerned as to what the delinquents are going to do. Especially to Hinata,"

"Although we may not know Hinata as well as you and Jack do, I share your sentiments on this matter," Cinderella said to Alice.

"Then, in that case, let's go," Red Riding Hood along with her companions prepared to tail Ichijo's gang and Hinata. "We'll follow those hoodlums and find out what they are up to,"

"Yeah," Jack agreed. "We should be careful not to let them see us though," Led by Jack, Alice and Red Riding Hood, the group walked away from the school quickly. As they tailed Ichijo's gang and Hinata, everyone especially Jack and Alice hoped that nothing bad would befall Hinata.


	4. Chapter 3

Hinata Taketori is a nervous and timid person. His personality made him become selected by Ichijo's gang as their deliveryman. Every day in school, he would deliver their lunch all while bearing with them ridiculing him for his timid demeanor. There were times when he felt like standing up against the gang for their behavior. However, he gave up out of fear of what they might do to him.

Today, after school, Hinata was called by the delinquents to follow them to the residential area. Though reluctant, he did as he was told. As he and the delinquents left the school, they were unaware that Jack and his friends were following them from a safe distance. They tailed Hinata and the delinquents across the town's roundabout and into the residential area.

The residential area is made up of several rows of double story terrace houses each having their own front yard and backyard. Each row of houses is separated by a road which connects to Wonder Ville's northern road. Jack and the Blood Maidens followed Hinata and the delinquents on one of these roads while keeping an eye on the latter.

After some time, Jack's group saw Hinata's group turn to the right at the end of the road everyone walked on. Not wanting to lose Hinata's group, Jack and his company walked faster until they reached the end of it. Turning right, they saw Ichijo's gang and Hinata enter what appeared to be a small empty lawn, with a concrete wall encircling every side of it except the front, on the left side of the road they are now on.

Jack and his friends moved quickly towards the side of the lawn's entrance. Reaching there, Alice signaled for everyone aside from her, Jack and Red Riding Hood to stay behind them. The trio then peered around the wall of the lawn and towards it's center where Hinata and the delinquents are currently at. Everyone soon began listening in on a conversation between Ichijo's gang and Hinata.

"So, what was it that you all wanted?" Hinata asked the delinquents timidly.

"We just want you to give us some money that's all," Ichijo put on a grim smile.

"Huh?" Hinata's eyebrows rose. "W-What for?"

"It's compensation, my friend," Gotou stood in front of Hinata. "For bringing our lunch late this afternoon,"

"What do you mean compensation?" Hinata knitted his brow. "I already apologized for that. Isn't that enough?"

"We just thought that an apology won't suffice, pal," Nijima stepped forward and gave Hinata a menacing look. "Now, give us our money or you'll get what's coming for you," Putting down his school bag, Hinata slowly reached his hand into one of his pockets and took out a wallet. Quickly, Jack whispered to his friends behind him on the current situation.

"I cannot believe how brazen those delinquents are!" Cinderella spoke loud enough for the rest of Jack's group to hear. "First, they act as if they rule our school and now they are extorting someone beneath them!"

"Shouldn't we stop them?" Snow White asked in a worried tone.

"Let's see how things unfold first," Alice said. "It's too early to act," As Jack, Alice and Red Riding Hood continued observing the situation, they saw Hinata about to hand over a one thousand Yen note to Ichijo. Just when Ichijo was about to take the note, Hinata suddenly withdrew it away from the former's hand.

"No…" Hinata's action slightly surprised Ichijo's gang as well as Jack, Alice and Red Riding Hood. "I won't do it. Not until you tell me why you really need my money for," Hinata suddenly put on a serious face which contrasted against his timid demeanor.

"What are you, deaf?" Sanji said to Hinata. "We just told you it's compensation-"

"First, I help you get your lunch every day. Next, I let myself get ridiculed by you lot. And now, you want my money. What's next? Beating me up to the point of near death? I don't understand you people at all. Why do you want to pick on those below you?" Everyone could not believe the words that came out of Hinata's mouth. It was as if Hinata just turned into a different person at that moment.

"Hey, first year," Gotou's voice was serious. "Since when did you think you could defy us?"

"Wha…?!" Hinata's serious expression disappeared. "I-I wasn't trying to defy you! I was only saying that what you all are doing is wrong!"

"Wrong?" Sanji walked towards Hinata. "So, what about it, YOU IDIOT?!" To Jack and his company's shock, Sanji punched Hinata's face causing the latter to fall backwards onto the ground. When Hinata brought himself up into a sitting position, Sanji lifted him by the collar and shouted angrily at him.

"In this world, it's only natural for people to do whatever they please to those beneath them! Doesn't matter what it is they do. So long as they get what they want, that's all that matters! That's how we have carried ourselves out all the time!" Sanji threw Hinata down to the ground, in front of his companions. Before Hinata could get up, the former kicked him repeatedly.

"So, don't you DARE tell us that we are WRONG!" Sanji yelled while kicking Hinata. Once he was done, Sanji added, "You are the one who's wrong for telling us off! And now you're gonna pay for that! Let's teach this wimp a lesson, guys!"

"Are you sure?" Yoshikawa asked Sanji. "He's done a good job as our deliveryman for some time, you know,"

"Who cares?!" Nijima said. "We could always have another one take his place!"

"You heard Nijima," said Ichijo as the delinquents gazed at Hinata's downed form. "And while we're at it, we'll take his money too," Hinata watched helplessly as Ichijo and his friends moved towards him. _Is this the end?_ Those words surfaced within his mind.

"Stop!" Jack shouted while running towards the center of the lawn with his friends. Once Jack's group reached the delinquents and Hinata, the delinquents turned to look at the former. Hinata was surprised at Jack and the Blood Maidens' arrival.

"You two again?!" Ichijo said in an irritated tone to Jack and Alice. Seeing the rest of their friends, he asked, "And who are you all?!"

"We're the new students. That's who we are," Thumbelina replied.

"So, you are the ones our deliveryman wanted to talk to earlier at the expense of our lunch!" Nijima said to Jack's group. "I don't know why you're all here but, piss off! We're in the middle of some business of our own here!"

"Business?" Cinderella was baffled. "How pray, is beating up an innocent young man called 'business' to you? More importantly, have you brutes no shame? Ganging up on a person younger than you?"

"That's right!" Hameln said to the delinquents. "Do you not have any dignity? Your actions deserve nothing but condensation-I mean; condemnation!" As if in agreement with Hameln's words, Rapunzel growled at the delinquents.

"What's it to you?" asked Gotou. "We do as we please. That's all there is to it,"

"But, what you're doing is wrong!" Snow White argued. Sleeping Beauty nodded in agreement to Snow White's statement.

"Oh?" Sanji gave Snow White an evil look. "You're saying we're wrong? The same way our first year here did? You want me to beat you up just like how I did to him?" Saying this, Sanji advanced menacingly towards Snow White. Thumbelina stood in between the two when he was about to reach Snow White.

"You know, I don't know what your problem is, but, don't even think of laying a finger on my sister," Thumbelina looked at Sanji seriously.

"Or else what?" Sanji began to mock Thumbelina. "You and your friends are gonna beat us up? Don't make me laugh! What can you bunch of sissies do?!"

"Yeah, you all are just a bunch of girls serving as one boy's harem!" Nijima's statement bewildered Jack.

"That's not true!" Jack responded sharply. "They're my friends!"

"Shut it, pretty boy!" Sanji turned his head towards Jack. Looking back at Thumbelina, he said, "And you, tiny! If you think you can rough us up, I'd like to see you try!" Upon being called 'tiny', Thumbelina's left eyebrow twitched. Her friends, especially Jack, became slightly anxious. They knew that Thumbelina disliked being called tiny and those who did would incur her wrath.

"What did you say?" Thumbelina's voice was dead serious. Seeing this, Red Riding Hood quickly spoke to Sanji.

"You, apologize to her now,"

"Huh? What for?"

"You made a huge mistake. Do yourself a favor and apologize before things get worse,"

"Why should I be apologizing to this tiny little midget? It's not like she's going to hit me so hard that I'll-" The next thing Sanji knew, he was sent flying to his right by a punch to the cheek from Thumbelina. The rest of the delinquents and Hinata had their jaws drop open at the sight of Sanji spinning mid-air and crashing into the ground, a short distance away from everyone.

Lying on his back, Sanji groaned in pain. Seeing their downed companion, the rest of Ichijo's gang frantically rushed towards him. At the same time, Jack helped Hinata get back onto his feet. The Blood Maidens approached the delinquents, who were now helping Sanji to stand up. They saw Sanji placing a hand on his bruised cheek all while trying to fight back tears.

"You… You…" Sanji pointed a finger at Thumbelina while stammering. "You think you're so tough? Just wait until we-" Before he could finish his sentence, Thumbelina grabbed his collar and brought his face close to hers.

"Don't you ever call me tiny," she then spoke in a threatening manner. "I may not look like it but, I'm actually the eldest of my sisters. The next time you call me tiny or if you lay a finger on another student, I will do more than punch you. I will ensure that you and your friends will lose their lives! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?!" After venting her frustration, Thumbelina pushed Sanji back and went back to her companions.

Soon, Sanji began tearing up like a baby. Beads of sweat lined the delinquents' foreheads as they saw their friend reduced to a pathetic state. To make matters worse for them, the Blood Maidens were staring at them. The looks on their faces were the same ones they would give to a horde of Marchens or a Nightmare even.

"Hey," Ichijo smiled nervously. "You're not going to beat us up, right? I mean you're just a bunch of innocent girls. There's no way you're going to gang up on us, right?"

"We won't do anything to you," Alice's voice was firm. "However, promise us one thing,"

"W-What is it?" asked Gotou.

"Do not cause any more trouble. That applies to not only the students but, also to anyone else whom you meet. Do I make myself clear?"

"Why should we promise you that?" Ichijo put on a strong front to cover his nervousness. "We're not going to owe you anything. Especially since you hit our friend here!" Kaguya was displeased at Ichijo's demeanor. Stepping forward, she stood between the Blood Maidens and the delinquents.

"You foolish, arrogant humans," Kaguya said, furrowing her eyebrows. "Despite your strong outward appearances, you falter easily at times of trouble. Rather than accepting that aspect of yourselves, you chose to cover it up with all manner of misdeeds. All this so that you can present a false image of authority over others,"

"What are you getting at?" Nijima said.

"If you so desire, you can continue with your current deeds," In a resolute tone, Kaguya added, "However, know this. There is no happiness in controlling the weak. It is nothing but, a mere front to exert or in certain cases, abuse power onto others,"

"If your actions persist even after listening to my words, then, you may suffer the consequences for all we care," Although Kaguya's speech was soft, Ichijo's gang felt the weight of her words. All they could do was stand still and remain quiet.

"Now, let us depart," Kaguya turned around and said to her friends. "I believe we have wasted enough time here," With that, Jack, the Blood Maidens and Hinata walked out of the lawn. Ichijo and his gang remained still as they left.

"Who the h*** are these students?" Ichijo said to himself.

* * *

Jack and the Blood Maidens' house is among those facing the roads leading towards the northern road. Inside it, there is a lounge downstairs, it's floor lined with a red and black carpet. In the middle of it is a rectangular table covered by a white cloth and having a decorative tea set, an item Jack bought for Alice while they were in the Jail, on top of it. The table is surrounded by four pink sofas covered with heart-shaped patterns.

On the left of the lounge is the dining room which also serves as the kitchen. There is even a restroom near the right corner of the lounge. Next to the dining room is a flight of stairs leading towards a hall with twelve bedrooms-Eleven for Jack and his friends and one for their guardian, Mr. Shiro.

Mr. Shiro, a man in his late twenties, wears round glasses which obscures his eyes and has tidy black hair. He wears a white lab coat, a green shirt underneath it, and long black pants. Currently, he is sitting on one of the sofas in the lounge reading the newspaper.

As he flipped through the newspaper's pages, Mr. Shiro heard the door open. Putting it on the table, he then saw Jack and his group enter the lounge. Earlier, they have offered to tend to Hinata's injuries after saving him from Ichijo's group. However, Hinata declined, saying that he would treat them by himself. Jack's group then walked him to his house. After that, they decided to return home. As everyone walked into the lounge, they greeted Mr. Shiro.

"We're home," Jack was the first to speak.

"Hey, Mr. Shiro!" Red Riding Hood greeted Mr. Shiro cheerfully.

"Ah, hello there, everyone," Mr. Shiro smiled at Jack and his company. "How was your first day of school?"

"It was great," Jack said with a smile. "There were a lot of things to learn but, it was pretty interesting overall,"

"Lots of nice food there too!" Rapunzel gleefully said much to everyone's amusement.

"I take it you all had a good time there," Mr. Shiro beckoned for Jack's group to sit at the sofas. "Would you like to share your experiences?"

"We'd love to!" At Cinderella's words, Jack and the Blood Maidens put their school bags next to the sofas and joined Mr. Shiro. Jack, Alice and Red Riding Hood sat on the first sofa, Cinderella, Kaguya and Hameln sat on the second, Thumbelina and her sisters sat on the third and Gretel and Rapunzel sat with Mr. Shiro. The group then explained the various things they did, from having lessons in school to stopping the delinquents from assaulting Hinata. Mr. Shiro listened to their stories with interest.

"Your first day is quite eventful," he remarked. "It was good of you to help your fellow schoolmate earlier," Turning to Thumbelina, he said, "Although, if I may comment, Thumbelina, do refrain from using force if necessary. What you did, though understandable, could potentially lead to further problems,"

"What else were we supposed to do?" Thumbelina stated. "We couldn't just let them do as they please. Besides, I couldn't stand seeing those gangsters bullying someone for no reason,"

"With what you did though, Thumby, you'd make yourself look like a tomboy," Red Riding Hood grinned.

"What?!" Thumbelina's face turned red. "Don't be absurd, Sister Red! The one fitting that description would be you!"

"Why me?" Red Riding Hood looked surprised.

"Well, you're stronger than we are despite your feminine looks," replied Thumbelina. "And not to mention you're into stuff like training and that your brains are all muscles,"

"Hey, that's mean!" Red Riding Hood was not pleased at the last part of Thumbelina's sentence. "I think for all of you like the elder sister and this is how you describe me?" Everyone was a little uneasy over Red Riding Hood's sudden expression of displeasure.

"Wait, that's not what I meant…" Thumbelina started to regret her words. At this, Red Riding Hood gave a short laugh.

"Just kidding!" she then said, causing everyone to smile and sigh in relief. "As expected, you took what I said seriously, Thumby,"

"I swear you can be tricky at times, Sister Red…" Thumbelina frowned.

"By the way, Mr. Shiro, how is everything at Haru's side? Are he and the rest of the Dawn doing well?" Jack asked.

"Yes, I've been meaning to tell you once you all reached home," Mr. Shiro answered. "Haru gave me a call while all of you were out. Right now, he, Miko and Clara along with our researchers are assisting the Bureau in studying all things pertaining to the Jail. While they are doing so, Towa is leading a group of people comprised of Dawn members and agents from the Bureau in cleaning up and rebuilding the city engulfed by it,"

"In respect of the rebuilding efforts, we have also enlisted the aid of rescue workers and volunteers from the general public. So far, progress is slow but, our work is moving on steadily,"

"I see they are busy," said Gretel.

"Indeed," Mr. Shiro said. "Aside from work, Haru also told me that he is going to contact us tonight to see how you all are doing. Miko, Clara and Towa will be doing the same as well as another person who had recently 'rejoined' the Dawn,"

"Rejoined?" Jack became curious. "What do you mean by that, Mr. Shiro?"

"You will know about that come tonight," Mr. Shiro replied. "Haru told me it is a surprise for all of you,"

"A surprise, huh?" Red Riding Hood said. "Wonder what Haru wants to keep from us so bad that he can't tell us now,"

"Don't know what, but, Rapunzel loves surprises!" Rapunzel said happily. "Surprises are fun!"

"Why yes they are, Rappy!" Cinderella giggled. "I must say, it's quite heartening for our friends from the Dawn to call us about how we are doing,"

"I agree," Alice smiled. "It's nice to hear from them again,"

"I'm looking forward to talking with them. It feels as if it's been some time since we did," Jack said with a smile. The Blood Maidens appeared to share the same thoughts as Jack.

"That aside," Thumbelina said. "Shouldn't we be doing our homework for today? I think we've talked long enough,"

"Hey, you're right!" Jack looked as if he remembered something important. "We got to submit them tomorrow too. Let's go do it at the dining room, everyone,"

"It's such a chore to do this thing called 'homework' though…" Kaguya appeared reluctant.

"Come on, Kaguya!" Red Riding Hood encouraged Kaguya. "Don't be such a lazy bum. If we do it together, I'm sure we'll get it done in no time!"

"Well, then, let us complete our homework and enjoy the fruits of our labor!" Hameln said enthusiastically.

"Before that, Mr. Shiro, thank you for telling us on the current developments," Alice thanked Mr. Shiro. "We appreciate it,"

"You're welcome, Alice," Mr. Shiro got out of his seat. "Well, I better not disturb you young ones. If you need me for anything, I'll be upstairs in my room,"

"Alright, thanks, Mr. Shiro," After Jack thanked Mr. Shiro, he and his friends picked up their school bags and headed to the dining room while chatting about their homework. Mr. Shiro took his newspaper and headed for the stairs.

"They are a lively bunch aren't they?" Mr. Shiro said to himself as he walked up the stairs. "Professor Tohjima,"

* * *

Night had arrived at Wonder Ville. Every part of the town is illuminated by tall street lamps and the lights of the buildings in it. Inside Jack and his friends' house, everyone had just finished having dinner cooked by Mr. Shiro and Cinderella. After cleaning up the dishes, they gathered at the lounge, with Mr. Shiro sitting on one sofa and the rest standing behind him.

Everyone was looking at a laptop rested on Mr. Shiro's lap. He is configuring the video chat function to enable the Dawn's members to contact the group. Soon, the laptop's monitor displayed two grey screens, one at the top and one beneath it.

A few minutes later, the two screens showed individuals whom Jack and his friends knew. In the top screen were Haru, Miko and Clara and in the bottom was Towa. The former appeared to be in a laboratory of sorts while the latter was at a camp situated a short distance away from where the Jail once was. Once both Jack and Haru's side could see each other, they exchanged greetings.

"Hey, Haru!" Red Riding Hood was the first to start.

"Hey, there," Haru, a gruff-looking thirty year old man with unkempt hair, said.

"Hello, everyone," Miko, a fair skinned woman, smiled.

"Hey, there, everyone!" Clara, a young girl serving as Haru's apprentice, said.

"Hello, there!" Towa-full name Towa Kadowaki, a well-built man often seen with a smile and closed eyes, greeted with a grin. "How was your first day living on the surface like?"

"It was pretty fun," Red Riding Hood responded to Towa's question. "We did a whole lot of things that we never did back in the Jail,"

"I reckon you'd say that," a small smile emerged on Haru's face. "So, how about telling us about them?" Jack and his group relayed the day's events to Haru's group. Their stories elicited mixed reactions from Haru and his company.

"Well, color me surprised," Haru raised his eyebrows. "The way things are going at your side, you all are going to be celebrities in your school,"

"I'm surprised that things are going smoothly for you all," Miko shared Haru's views. "Even though we knew you'd live your own lives, we thought you may find it hard to adjust to life on the surface,"

"Well, everything out here was pretty foreign at first," said Thumbelina. Looking proud, she added, "But, we can survive. I don't see any problem in doing so since we went through worse in the Jail,"

"Yup!" Red Riding Hood grinned in agreement. "It's just as Thumby said!"

"My, how optimistic you all are!" Towa gave a good natured laugh. "By the way, I must say it was brave of you to stand up for a fellow student. Especially you two, Jack and Alice,"

"Thank you, Mr. Kadowaki," Jack said. "We didn't really do much though,"

"I got to say you really were something, Jack!" Clara remarked excitedly. "You protecting Alice from a bunch of flirts in school-It's like you're a prince watching over her princess!"

"Huh?! Prince?! That's not how it is, Clara! It's just that she's important to me-" Haru and his company fell into a stunned silence upon hearing Jack's exclamation. "I mean," Jack calmed down and continued, "She's important to us,"

Clearing his throat, Haru said, "That aside, there's someone who wants to talk to all of you. Especially to Jack, Alice and Red Riding Hood,"

"Would you be referring to the surprise Mr. Shiro told us about?" Cinderella asked Haru.

"That's correct," replied Haru. "In fact, he's someone whom you know, Jack. Same goes for you, Alice,"

"Who is it?" Jack was curious.

"That would be me," a boy with blue unkempt hair about Jack's age, dressed in a Dawn uniform walked in front of Haru. Jack and his friends did not recognize his face. However, Jack and Alice in particular, felt that his voice was very familiar.

"It's been a while, Jack, Alice," the blue haired boy greeted Jack's group. "And it's good to meet all of you as well,"

"You're…" Jack's face was filled with realization. "You're the one who helped us climb the Jail's tower with your friends back then!"

"You're also the reincarnation of the late leader of the Dawn's investigation team and the one who found Red Riding Hood as a baby," Alice had the same look of realization as Jack's.

"That's right," the blue haired boy replied. "I decided to get back into the Dawn to help them with their work. Speaking of which, I see that you're all doing pretty fine out there," Looking at Red Riding Hood, he added, "Especially you, Red Riding Hood. You've really grown up. I can't believe you were the same baby I found at the Station Grounds,"

"It's nice to finally meet the one who found me," said Red Riding Hood with appreciation. "I've always wanted to thank you for what you did,"

"You don't have to," the boy replied amiably. "Seeing you doing well with your friends is thanks enough for me,"

"I never thought that we would see you again after that time," Alice said gladly. "I'm glad to see that you are alright,"

"Me too," Jack shared Alice's sentiments. "Although, we never got to know your name even after all that,"

"Well, about that, you can call me 'Major'. That's what I was called in my past life," the boy stated.

"In any case, it is a pleasure to meet you, Major," Cinderella said warmly.

"This is quite the twist of fate," Gretel smiled. "To meet a person whose face we've never seen until now,"

Major gave a chuckle. "You could say that,"

"I don't like to cut our conversation short but, we need to get back to our work," Miko stated. "We're currently researching ways for humans to combat threats related to the Jail,"

"Oh? And what would they be?" asked Mr. Shiro.

"We haven't come up with anything definitive yet," said Haru. "That's why we're racking our brains right now. Sorry, but, we'll have to take our leave. We'll keep in touch though,"

"Understood," Mr. Shiro said. "Do take care," Both Jack and Haru's side said their goodbyes to each other. After that, Mr. Shiro proceeded to close his laptop and place it on the table.

"It sure was great talking with them again," said Red Riding Hood.

"Yup!" Rapunzel said.

"You know, I wonder how Michiru and Chii are doing," Thumbelina was referring to Michiru and Hitsuka, the founders of a cult called the Order of the Sun which was active since the Jail's birth. "We haven't heard from them ever since they parted ways with us,"

"They must be really busy for them to not call us," said Snow White.

"Yup…" Sleeping Beauty said.

"I'm sure they are fine," Jack assured Thumbelina and her sisters. "They must be doing their best in helping the people. Just as how our friends in the Dawn are doing their best in their own efforts,"

"I suppose you are right, Jack," Thumbelina agreed.

"Now that we are done talking with Haru, what shall we do for the night?" Cinderella said. "We have some time before we can call it a day,"

"How about having a stroll at the park?" Mr. Shiro suggested. "A walk outside during the night is pleasant due to the cool weather,"

"Is that so?" Red Riding Hood became intrigued. "In that case, how about it, everyone? We could go play some ball out there too,"

"Yay! Let's play!" Rapunzel happily said.

"I don't see why not," Alice said. "It would be nice of us to be at the park together,"

"Let's go then," Jack said as everyone shared Red Riding Hood's interest. "I'm sure it will be fun,"

"I'll go get the ball, then," Red Riding Hood headed for the stairs. "Until then, stay put, you all!" While waiting for Red Riding Hood, Mr. Shiro and Jack's group chatted with each other a little. It was going to be a fun night for them all.


	5. Chapter 4

It is now late in the night. Everyone in Jack's house is preparing for bed in their respective rooms. Earlier, they were at the town's park walking and playing while enjoying the cool night air there. After spending some time at the park, the group headed back home and decided to call it a day.

Jack, now dressed in pajamas, is sitting on his bed reading a book on Japan's tourist attractions. Closing the book, he got out of his bed and kept it in a small shelf atop a desk in his room. Right when he was about to tuck in for the night, Jack heard a knock on his door.

"Jack, it's me, Alice," Alice spoke from behind the door. "Can I come in?"

"Alice? I'll be right there," Jack wondered what Alice needed as he headed for his room's door. Opening the door, Jack saw Alice, dressed in a white nightgown, standing in front of him.

"Hi, Alice," Jack then said. "Is there something you need?"

"I just wanted to say something. Is it alright if I come in first?" Alice said.

"Sure, I don't mind," Jack let Alice into his room. As he closed the door, Alice stood by his bed. Turning around to face her, Jack said, "So, what is it that you wanted to say?"

"It's about what you did at school today," said Alice. "At the time when the students came up to me during lunch and when the delinquents threatened me in our classroom,"

"If it's about that, you don't need to say anything," Jack spoke in his good nature. "Seeing you safe is good enough for me,"

"Still, there's something I really need to tell you," Blushing slightly, Alice added, "Jack, thank you for standing up for me during those times. But, you didn't need to. I could have taken care of those matters on my own,"

"What are you saying, Alice?" Deep in his heart, Jack felt a little surprised. "I was trying to protect you from harm,"

"That's the thing, Jack," Alice started to look worried. "I know you do all you can for everyone. Lately though, you've become a bit more protective of us, especially me. I started feeling that way while you were telling off those students that hit on me,"

"Alice…"

"If you keep doing that, you may end up burdening yourself too much. You promised not to do that when we were in the Jail, remember?" Alice walked towards Jack and held his hands. "So, please, don't overdo it, alright?"

Jack started to blush a little. There was a time in the Jail when Alice held his hands. At that time, he felt a strong emotion rising from within him. Now, he is feeling the same thing except that it is stronger.

"I see that I ended up worrying you again, Alice," Jack said to Alice calmly. "I'm sorry about that,"

"No, you don't have to apologize," Alice let go of Jack's hands. "I think I should be the one to do so since I've said too much,"

"That makes two of us then," Jack smiled at Alice. "Let's rest up for the night. Tomorrow's going to be another day for us,"

"And also," Jack added with appreciation. "Thanks. For sharing your concerns with me,"

"You're so kind," Alice smiled. "Well, good night, Jack,"

"Good night, Alice," Jack opened the door and showed Alice out of his room. "Um, Alice?" The former spoke causing the latter to turn around and look at Jack.

"Yes?"

"You're pretty cute in that outfit of yours," Jack felt a little shy while speaking.

"Huh?" Alice's eyes were wide open.

"Uh… I'm sorry if I said something weird!" Jack quickly said. "But, really, you look great in that dress of yours!"

"Why, thank you, Jack," said a flattered Alice. "It's called a nightgown by the way,"

"Oh, I see," Jack calmed himself down. "Anyway, good night once again, Alice,"

"You too, Jack," Jack closed his door and Alice went into her room. Once she was inside, she began giggling by herself softly.

"He's so cute when he talked like that…"

* * *

A new morning had arrived at Wonder Ville. The town's inhabitants are performing their everyday routine, with most of them running the shops and walking around the town itself. The students of Shinzo Academy are walking to their school as usual.

Jack and the Blood Maidens have just left the northern road and are entering the roundabout. Walking along a sidewalk facing the shops in between the north and west roads, the group talked about the day's lessons.

"We were supposed to be having Physical Education if I'm not mistaken," Jack told everyone.

"That's right, Jack," A look of anticipation emerged on Red Riding Hood's face. "I can't wait to see what it has to offer. Maybe, we could get to do some running, play some kickball…"

"It sounds pretty tiring if you ask me," Kaguya mentioned.

"It's no surprise for you to say that, Princess Lazy," Thumbelina remarked. "Especially since you never actually exercise,"

"Doesn't Kaguya joining us for a game of catch last night count as exercise?" Red Riding Hood asked.

"But, she never moved around to catch the ball. All she did was stand still waiting for it to come to her,"

"When it comes to performing a task, I try to do it with the least effort," Kaguya said. "Such is the way of the lazy,"

"If that's the case, I should test my concoction from yesterday on you," Gretel spoke to Kaguya. "It will surely provide enough energy to perform all manner of tasks for a person as lazy as you,"

"Gretel, you should refrain from conducting experiments on people as you please," Alice frowned. "Your curiosity is understandable but, it could endanger and frighten those around you. Such as those students from your class whom you were about to experiment on yesterday,"

"I don't see why I should do that," Gretel smiled. "The students of our school are quite interesting. Their behavior and reactions are worth studying like data. And in order to collect that data, research is necessary,"

"You say the craziest things at times, Gretel," Thumbelina frowned.

Still smiling, Gretel said, "Do I really?"

Jack laughed lightly at Gretel's words. "Anyway, let's have another great day at school. And about what Gretel said, don't worry so much about it. So long as nothing bad happens, it'll be fine-"

"Oh, look!" Rapunzel grabbed the group's attention by pointing far away towards the town entrance. Everyone stopped next to a huge space in front of a shopping mall called Wonder Mart.

"What is it, Rappy?" Cinderella asked.

"Rapunzel saw something good. It's coming here!" True to Rapunzel's words, a purple truck decorated with images of tea cups and biscuits entered the town. Passersby glanced at the truck as it drove across one quarter of the roundabout and towards Wonder Mart. While moving, the truck's radio blared out "Best Looking Guy in Town" by the Natural Born Hippies.

Reaching the mall, the truck turned around and reversed. It parked itself a short distance in between the west road and the right side of the building's entrance. While the truck was being parked, Jack and his friends saw a sign on it's side labeled "Tea Party Brigade". Alice raised her eyebrows upon looking at those words. Whenever she saw or heard anything related to a 'tea party', her interest will be piqued. She once thought of holding a tea party with her friends after everyone's escape from the Jail. Seeing the truck made her remember that.

"What is that truck?" Snow White asked the group about the truck which is now a few feet away from them.

"I don't know but, I'm curious about it," Alice answered Snow White's question. "How about we take a look?"

"What about school?" Jack asked.

"I believe we still have some time before school starts," Gretel stated. "Besides, that truck intrigues me,"

"Well, without further ado, let us take a look, shall we?" Hameln said enthusiastically.

"Okay," said Jack. "So long as we're not late for school that's alright," Jack's group walked towards the truck which just had it's radio switched off. Approaching it, they saw the truck's attendance window open, revealing a kitchen like interior in the back of the vehicle. From out of the driver's seat came a nineteen year old young boy with red hair covering his ears. He wore a dark brown jacket, a black t-shirt, long light brown pants and a pair of dark brown shoes.

Two more boys came out of the truck and joined the red headed boy. One, who sat at the passenger seat, was an eighteen year old having tidy greyish white hair wearing a blue dress shirt over a white shirt along with long grey pants and black shoes. The other, who came down from the back of the truck, was a seventeen year old with short brown hair dressed in a green jacket with a grey t-shirt, long brown pants and light brown shoes.

The three boys faced the attendance window and began discussing something amongst them. In the middle of their discussion, they were unaware of Jack's group who had reached the truck and are standing a short distance behind the trio. Jack walked towards the red haired boy in order to talk to the latter.

"Excuse me," Jack said to the three boys who were still engrossed in their discussion. Noticing Jack, the brown haired boy signaled for his companions to attend to him.

"I'm sorry, man, you need something?" the red headed boy focused his gaze at Jack. He spoke in an American accent similar to Chris Tucker's.

"Um…" Jack was slightly surprised at the redhead's accent. "My friends and I saw your truck and we were wondering what's going on here,"

"This?" the redhead pointed towards his truck. "This here's our food truck. We just here to sell some tea, scones and-" Shifting his gaze towards the Blood Maidens, he blinked at the sight of them. With a look of wonder on his face, he added, "Hold on a sec. Are these your friends?"

"Yeah, why?"

The redhead stared at Jack's friends for a minute. Grinning from ear to ear, he looked away and chuckled while saying, "Oh my goodness," Turning his attention towards the Blood Maidens again, he continued, "You girls are phat,"

"What?" Snow White was puzzled. The rest of the girls except Gretel, who maintained a neutral expression, shared her puzzlement.

"Phat," The redhead repeated. "No, not F-A-T. P-H-A-T. Pretty hot and tempting. I was stunned by all of your looks," The Blood Maidens exchanged glances among themselves. Pointing towards Jack, the redhead said, "I dunno who you are man, but, you one lucky guy to have so many fine a** girls at your side,"

"Uh… Thanks?" Jack did not know what else to say as he was unfamiliar with the redhead's way of speaking.

"Ah, almost forgot," the redhead then said to Jack and his friends. "Name's Hatter. Mark Hatter," Showing his two companions, he added, "And these here are my dear friends and brothers, March Harrison and Drake Mouse,"

"How do you do?" March, the white haired boy, greeted Jack's group in a gentlemanly tone.

"Hello," Drake, the brown haired boy, said quietly.

"Now, how about introducing yourself and your cuties here?" Hatter smiled.

"S-Sure," Jack proceeded to introduce the Blood Maidens. Each of them greeted Hatter's group when their names were brought up. Once the introductions were done, Hatter gave Jack's group an intense gaze.

"Those really your names?" Hatter asked.

"As a matter of fact, they are," Cinderella said. Hatter, maintaining his intense look, approached the Blood Maidens.

"W-What?" Thumbelina felt uncomfortable. "What's with that serious look on your face?"

"I can't believe this!" Hatter suddenly became excited, mildly astonishing Jack and the Blood Maidens. "I know Japanese girls are something but, you gals are literally off the HOOK!" Moving towards Alice, he added while staring into her eyes, "I mean, look at you. You're like one of them cute a** high school girls I've seen except that you're ten times cuter,"

"H-Huh?" Alice raised her eyebrows.

"And you," Hatter moved in front of Red Riding Hood. "You're like Red Riding Hood turned into a bombshell. What with those short a** pants and nice slender legs of yours," Hatter's eyes were on Red Riding Hood's legs. Bringing his head up, he asked her, "Your grandma approve of you wearing those pants by the way?"

"Uh…" Red Riding Hood was speechless. She and her companions save Gretel were a little dumbfounded at Hatter's words. Gretel in particular, appeared to be amused by Hatter's demeanor. As for March and Drake, the duo watched their friend's antics.

"And then there's the both of you," Hatter walked away from Red Riding Hood and faced Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella. Taking a quick glance at both their sizable chests, he turned his head away and said a quiet but audible, "Fuh!"

"Ladies," Hatter addressed all of the Blood Maidens. "You all are the most beautiful girls I have seen in my entire life. I could fall in love with every single one of you! So, how about we go to the city tonight, paint it red and have some fun-"

"Now, now, Hatter," March walked towards Hatter and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Let's not get too worked up shall we?" He then spoke with the Blood Maidens. "I apologize for Hatter's exuberance. He can get excited easily upon seeing a beautiful lady,"

"I-I see," said Jack.

"I must admit you're an interesting individual," Gretel spoke to Hatter, a small hint of fascination in her voice. "Judging by your mannerisms, you must be a foreigner,"

"D***, you're smart," Gretel's statement impressed Hatter. "Yup, that's right. Me and my pals here used to live in America. Then, we came to Japan and moved into Wonder City out there. After some time though, city life can be a little boring. So, the three of us decided to come to this town for a lil change of pace,"

"This America you speak of," Hameln sounded intrigued. "Is it an interesting place?"

"Interesting? H***, it's amazing! America's the place of culture, girl! It's the mother of all entertainment! From sports to food to dancing-You name it!"

"Is that so?" Keenly, Hameln added, "In that case, I would love to venture to this America!"

"No problem," Hatter smiled at the Blood Maidens. "I'd be happy to take you lovely angels anywhere anytime,"

"I've been meaning to ask," Alice said to Hatter's group. "What is this 'Tea Party Brigade' written on your truck?"

"That Alice, is the name of our business," March replied. "You see, we run a food truck specializing in tea and all things pertaining to it. Think of it as a moving tea party of sorts,"

"Snow White doesn't understand…" said Snow White.

"Basically, we move around selling tea along with foods that go well with it," Drake stepped forward and explained. "Our food items include scones, cakes and cookies, all of them which we make by ourselves,"

"Cookies!" Rapunzel's eyes lit up. "Rapunzel loves cookies!"

"Oooh, got a sweet tooth, eh, lil missy?" Hatter then said to Jack and his company, "Tell you what. How bout me and my pals host a tea party for you fellas? Name the place, the time and we'll get things ready for y'all,"

"Huh? Really?" asked Jack.

"Absolutely," With a serious face, Hatter added, "It's not gonna be cheap though,"

"What?! Are you trying to rip us off?" Thumbelina said abruptly.

"Big Sis Thumbelina!" Snow White said to Thumbelina in a hushed voice.

Thumbelina's reaction made Hatter laugh lightly. "Relax, Thumby, I was just playing," Spreading his arms, Hatter said, "It's free of charge,"

"Really?!" Red Riding Hood and the rest of Jack's group were surprised.

"Anything for a bunch of pretty ladies," Hatter put his arms down. "So, how about it?"

"In that case, I gladly accept your offer," Alice appeared to be delighted. "I always wanted to have a tea party with everyone,"

"If such is the opinion of m'lady, I shall accept as well!" said an enthusiastic Hameln.

"Well, with such a kind offer I see no reason why we should refuse at all," Cinderella said with a smile. Sleeping Beauty nodded in agreement with Cinderella. While everyone was getting pleased at the prospect of having a tea party, Gretel viewed her hand phone's clock app. "Aside from Hatter's offer, we have two minutes before school starts," she spoke.

"Wha?!" Jack could not believe how fast time flew. "This is bad! We'll be late if we don't move!" Preparing to leave with his friends, Jack said to Hatter's group, "Hatter, I'm sorry but, we have to rush. We'll talk more later,"

"No problem, man. Drop by anytime," Hatter said understandingly. As he and his friends watched Jack's group rush off to school, he called out to them, "Tell yo friends bout us alright?"

"Interesting fellows, aren't they?" March remarked once Jack and his company were gone.

"Yeah," Drake nodded. "What's interesting I would say is their names,"

"You don't say, man. Let's get our business rolling," Hatter and his group proceeded to prepare for the day's work at their food truck.

* * *

The morning lessons in Shinzo Academy commenced as usual. Today, the first years and second years are having Physical Education at the school's backyard. For the first time, Jack and his friends wore the Physical Education uniforms typically worn by Japanese high school students-A white t-shirt and red tracksuit bottoms for the males and white t-shirts and red bloomers for the females.

It was clear that a majority of the male students saw the Blood Maidens in their bloomers as a sight for sore eyes. A lot of them were excited to see them in such clothing especially Sleeping Beauty, whose breasts were nearly visible due to her shirt hugging them. Some students attempted to flirt with her only to get scared off by a fierce stare from Thumbelina. Jack watched the shenanigans that unfolded while trying hard not to blush at the Blood Maidens' particularly Alice's clothes.

Aside from that, everyone participated in various physical activities. Red Riding Hood amazed a crowd of students by running ten laps nonstop. She even persuaded some of her classmates to run with her. Rapunzel was happily jumping over a skipping rope to the point where the students swinging it could not keep up and fell onto the ground exhausted.

At one point, Thumbelina and her sisters together with Cinderella and Red Riding Hood played the tug of war with five male second year students. Jack and the remainder of his company watched them; with Jack, Alice, Rapunzel and Hameln cheering for their friends while Gretel and Kaguya merely observed. The game ended with Red Riding Hood's team being victorious to the astonishment of their opponents.

Physical Education class ended with everyone heading for the changing rooms. In the girls' changing room, Red Riding Hood had just taken a shower to wash off the sweat caused by exerting herself. Dressed in a white towel, she joined the rest of the Blood Maidens who were putting on their normal clothes next to a line of lockers.

"Ah, that was great," Red Riding Hood was in high spirits. "Physical Education sure is intense!"

"Rapunzel played a lot!" Rapunzel covered her whole self with her hair, leaving a gap for one eye. This was what she normally does when she has no clothes on.

"I have to say the boys in our school are persistent," Thumbelina sounded annoyed. "Since our first day of school, they kept coming at us including Sleepy. And they just won't quit even after I chase them away!"

"Is that not what makes them interesting though?" Gretel stated. "It's only natural for males to find interest in females with well-developed features such as Sleeping Beauty's chest,"

"That's not the point!" Thumbelina shot a glance at Gretel.

"Now, now, Thumby," Red Riding Hood calmed Thumbelina. "No need to get worked up. What matters is we had fun,"

"Indeed, we had. Not only that, Physical Education is quite refreshing," Cinderella stated.

"Even so, it does not change my mind about it being a tiring subject," said Kaguya.

"Spoken like a lazy person…" Thumbelina muttered to herself.

"Um, Sister Red? Rapunzel? We are already done with our clothes. You two should put yours on quickly," At Snow White's words, Red Riding Hood realized that she was still in her towel and that the rest of the Blood Maidens save Rapunzel already wore their clothes.

"Oops, I was so caught up in everyone's conversation that I forgot," Reaching out for her locker, Red Riding Hood said, "Okay, Rappy, time to get dressed,"

"Okay!" Rapunzel started to move towards her locker. Before she could, a group of girls suddenly approached and surrounded the Blood Maidens. They had been quietly watching the Blood Maidens intently while the latter changed their clothes. The looks on their faces were so serious that they instilled a sense of caution in a few of the Blood Maidens mainly Alice and Thumbelina.

"Hey, you all," said the first of the girls.

"Is there something we can help you with?" Alice asked calmly.

"Actually there is," said a second girl. After a brief moment, she and the rest of the girls became ecstatic in an instant. "Please tell us the secrets to your looks!" she pleaded to the Blood Maidens.

"Huh?" Alice and her companions raised their eyebrows at the girls' sudden change in demeanor. The next thing they knew, the Blood Maidens were bombarded from all corners with comments and questions relating to their appearances. Some of the girls attempted to feel Red Riding Hood's skin and Rapunzel's hair much to the duo's chagrin.

"Rapunzel, your hair is so beautiful!"

"How did you get it to be that long?!"

"Yeah, let me touch it!"

"Red Riding Hood, your skin is so soft! What kind of lotion did you use?!"

"Sleeping Beauty, tell us how to get a huge chest like yours!"

"Hey, hold it!" Red Riding Hood tried to break away from the girls. In the midst of the commotion, her towel fell off revealing her nude body. Everyone in the girls' room stared wide eyed and with their mouths agape at Red Riding Hood. Gretel however, only raised her eyebrows while saying two words.

"Oh, my"

Before Red Riding Hood could cover herself, most of the girls circled around her, their eyes gleaming with delight. "W-What are you doing?" she asked nervously as the girls marveled at all of her glory.

"Red Riding Hood, your body is so beautiful,"

"And look at those legs. They're so supple and soft,"

"I want to feel them so badly…" The girls advanced towards Red Riding Hood, their hands itching to pinch and touch her skin.

"W-wait, don't!" Despite Red Riding Hood's plea, the girls jumped onto her like predators pouncing on a single prey.

Hence, on a fine Tuesday morning, a huge scream was heard from within the girls' changing room on the first floor of Shinzo Academy.

* * *

"Ugh…" Red Riding Hood hung her head. "I know there would be various kinds of people on the surface but, those girls really took the cake,"

"It's amazing how perverted they were. Just when I thought the boys were trouble enough," Thumbelina stated.

Everyone is currently seated at a table in the cafeteria. Thumbelina recalled Red Riding Hood's ordeal in the changing room. The Blood Maidens had to literally pry away the girls that tried to touch her body. Hameln scolded them for their forceful behavior, causing the latter to apologize. In the end, the situation was resolved by Cinderella promising to teach beauty tips to the girls.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that, Red Riding Hood," Jack said. "Would you like me to get something to perk you up?"

"It's okay, Jack," Red Riding Hood brought her head up. Returning to her usual self, she added, "Thanks anyway. You're such a gentleman at times,"

"It's no surprise since he is surrounded by people of the opposite sex," Gretel stated with a smile.

Blushing, Jack said, "Gretel, could you not speak like that? You're making it sound as if I'm indecent or something,"

"Says the one whose face turned all red when we were in our Physical Education uniforms," Thumbelina narrowed her eyes.

"What are you saying, Thumbelina?! That's not true!" Jack protested.

"Oh? Then, how do you explain gaping at Alice when we were present in our bloomers?"

"Wha?!" Snow White became shocked.

"He did that?!" Red Riding Hood spoke in disbelief.

"My, oh, my, Jack," Kaguya teased. "It is clearly evident that you are attracted to Alice in one way or another,"

"No, that's..!"

"Excuse me," A voice spoke from behind Jack. Turning around on his seat, Jack soon saw Hinata standing in front of him. At that moment, Jack's company had their attention on Hinata.

"Oh, hello, Hinata," Jack greeted Hinata. "Have your wounds healed?"

"Y-Yes, thank you," Hinata replied. "Am I disturbing you?"

"No, you're not. Is something the matter?" said Alice who sat next to Jack.

"Well, I'd like to talk to you and your friends after school. Is that alright?" Jack wondered why Hinata wanted to talk with him and his friends. _Is it about the bullies?_ Jack thought. Nevertheless, he decided to comply with Hinata's request.

"Sure," Jack said. "Where shall we talk afterwards?"

"I was thinking of the back of the school," Hinata suggested. "Provided you don't mind that is…"

"It's alright," Alice smiled. "What is it that you want to talk about anyway?"

"You'll know at that time. I'll see you all later," Hinata left Jack's group and walked out of the cafeteria.

"What did Hinata need from you, Jack?" Red Riding Hood asked. Jack relayed Hinata's request to talk with everyone to the Blood Maidens.

"Hmm…" Red Riding Hood appeared curious. "I wonder what Hinata's got on his mind,"

"Snow White hopes it's not about the bullies again…" Snow White said with concern. Sleeping Beauty nodded as a sign of sharing Snow White's concerns.

"I'm hoping the same as well," Getting out of his seat, Jack said to his friends, "Let's get back to classes for now. Lunch time's about to finish,"

"Alright, let's go," At Red Riding Hood's words, everyone left their table and exited the cafeteria.

* * *

School had concluded and the students of Shinzo Academy are walking out of it's entrance. Behind the school, Jack and the Blood Maidens are standing in front of the wall facing the backyard. Facing the group was Hinata who had called them here.

"So, what is it that you wanted to talk about?" Thumbelina asked Hinata.

"I… um…" Hinata felt slightly nervous. "I wanted to thank you all for what you did yesterday. If you hadn't helped me back then, I don't think I'd like to imagine how much worse things would've gotten,"

"You're welcome," Jack responded. "We're glad to see that you're safe,"

"More importantly, what happened to the bullies? Snow White hoped that they did not come at you again," Snow White said.

"Now that you mention them, it would be a problem if they did…" Cinderella stated.

"Fear not!" Hameln announced. "If those scrambles-I mean; scoundrels ever lay a hand on Hinata, they shall face our wrath!"

"That's out of the question…" Alice frowned at Hameln's proclamation.

"About them, that's also what I'd like to tell you all about," Hinata's statement grabbed everyone's attention.

"They didn't threaten you again, did they?" Jack asked.

"Actually, it's more like they had a change of heart,"

"What do you mean?" asked Red Riding Hood. Hinata answered by first explaining about Ichijo's gang and their history. Today, Hinata stated, he heard that the delinquents did things that contrasted against their past actions. For starters, they were studying like any ordinary student would do. On top of that, they bought their own lunch instead of asking another student to deliver it to them.

"This is quite the surprise…" Alice remarked with raised eyebrows.

"I know, right?" Hinata's voice had a hint of wonder in it. "The students were baffled at their behavior. Even I was too. Not to mention the teachers. I don't know how you really did it but, you guys really put them in place,"

"I mean, nobody would think that a bunch of ordinary girls would be able to talk a group of delinquents into stopping their misdeeds," Hinata continued, his interest seemingly absorbed by the Blood Maidens. "But, you all did. To top it off, you've even grabbed the attention of the students since yesterday. Plus, your names are based on fairy tales,"

"Given all this, I want to ask one thing-Is there something more to you all than meets the eye?" Jack and the Blood Maidens fell silent. They were unsure as to how to answer Hinata's question.

Seeing the uncertain looks on their faces, Hinata frantically said, "Ah, I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to bring up anything bad in particular! It's just, you all were so amazing that I couldn't help but, ask!"

"I-It's okay. It's not like we were thinking of anything bad," said Red Riding Hood.

"I-I see," Hinata calmed down. "If there's nothing else, I'll be going back home now. Thank you for your time," Hinata was about to leave when Jack stopped him.

"Hinata, wait,"

"W-What?" Hinata stopped and looked at Jack.

"We're going to be dropping by somewhere," Jack said. "Would you like to join us?"

"Huh?" Hinata became surprised. "Why?"

"I just thought of wanting to know you better since we're in the same class," answered Jack. "Come to think of it, we didn't really talk much in person. At least, until now,"

"Me too," Alice said to Hinata. "It's nice to learn more about your classmates,"

"A-Are you sure?" Hinata said hesitantly. "Wouldn't I be troubling all of you?"

"Why do you say that?" Cinderella asked.

"You did save me from Ichijo and his friends," replied Hinata. "I think I've already troubled you all enough at that time,"

Red Riding Hood gave a good natured laugh. "What are you saying? We don't mind having you at all!"

"R-Really?"

"Of course!" Hameln said in a friendly manner. "Nothing is more joyous than making a new friend!"

"New friend!" Rapunzel said in utter happiness.

"I see no reason to object," Gretel smiled in anticipation. "Besides, I look forward to analyzing Hinata's behavior. I find it quite interesting,"

"Don't say that! You'll creep him out!" Thumbelina said in a hushed tone.

"What do you say, Hinata?" said a smiling Jack. "Do you want to come with us?"

A small smile crept across Hinata's face. "Y-Yeah, sure. I'll go with all of you,"

"Then, it's decided!" Red Riding Hood said enthusiastically. "Welcome aboard, Hinata!"

"Thanks," replied Hinata. "Mind if I say something before we go?"

"What is it?" asked Alice.

Looking bashful, Hinata answered, "To be honest, you're all kind of cute,"

"W-where did that come from all of a sudden?!" Thumbelina blushed.

"S-sorry!" Hinata was slightly startled at Thumbelina's response. "The thought just crossed my mind!"

Cinderella giggled softly. "There now, Thumbelina. Let us depart shall we?"

"Okay, let's go, everyone," Upon hearing Jack, everyone including Hinata left the back of Shinzo Academy. Things are bound to be lively given the day's events so far. More importantly, deep down Hinata's heart, he felt happy-Happy to have made not only one friend but, a group of them.

And that was the thing which Hinata deemed to be most precious to him.


	6. Chapter 5

When the Jail came into being, it was comprised of seven areas. The Dawn assigned those areas names-The City Streets, Graveyard, Temple, Downtown, Waterways, Dorm and Station Grounds. Each of them served as the Jail's wards in which humans were imprisoned by the Marchens. Now, their days of imprisonment are a thing of the past.

Yesterday, near the crater where the Jail once stood, a group of Dawn members and Bureau agents led by Towa have established camp. Accompanying them are rescue workers and a small number of volunteers, all of whom were called by the Dawn. Together, they seek to rebuild the city engulfed by the Jail fifteen years ago.

Since the Jail's locations are somewhat vast, the team decided to focus their work in one area first. They first set their eyes on the City Streets, a labyrinth possessing elements alluding to the tale of "Alice in Wonderland". Most of the Dawn personnel and Bureau agents along with the rescue workers drove down a passageway found next to the Jail's crater. The remaining members of the team would standby at the camp together with the volunteers, who prepare refreshments and provide any other form of assistance.

Inside the City Streets, everyone, under Towa's guidance, cleared foreign objects and dismantled parts of the labyrinth's walls. Additionally, the Dawn members and Bureau agents sent there armed themselves with a firearm each. The necessity to do so arose not out of fear but, as a precaution against any imminent dangers. After all, anything pertaining to the Jail was not a trifling matter especially to the Dawn.

Today, a handful of members from Towa's group-Two of Dawn's members and two Bureau agents-came across the Underground Cavern, the place where Jack and his friends first met Hameln. Back then, it was empty and hence, bore little to no significance in the eyes of the Dawn.

However, the company of four made a discovery. Within the Underground Cavern laid an entrance leading to another labyrinth. Wasting no time, they rushed back to Towa and reported their findings. Immediately, he instructed for the day's work to be paused. Everyone in the City Streets packed any equipment they could carry and returned to the camp site.

At the camp's command center, located in the middle of the site, a decision was made to send an expedition team to investigate the newly discovered area. The group, to be led by Towa, was made up of thirteen individuals-Six members of the Dawn, six agents of the Bureau and Towa himself. Equipped with weapons and special headsets containing tiny cameras, the expedition team departed for the Underground Cavern. As they entered it, the people in the command center observed their sightings through various monitors installed there.

What everyone soon saw felt mesmerizing yet alien. Stained glass layered the floor of the Underground Cavern's labyrinth. It's walls, resembling those of a castle's, were bluish and incorporated prison cages, some of them shaped like mouths. The labyrinth's surroundings were dimly lit by lamps attached to the walls.

Heading deeper into the maze, the group found themselves in a huge room with several blue pillars inside it. There, they made a shocking find. An enormous red bulb like object, held in place by roots, stood in the center of the room. This object should no longer have existed given that the Jail ceased to function. Yet, it is present and stands in front of the members of the expedition team.

It is a Core of the Jail.

* * *

"So, um… where are we going?" Hinata was asking Jack and the Blood Maidens on their current destination. The young students had exited Shinzo Academy's main gate and are walking down the western road.

"It's a place called the Tea Party Brigade. Or a food truck as the ones running the place called it," Jack answered Hinata.

"A food truck?" Hinata said. "When did it arrive in this town?"

"It arrived this morning while we walked to school," answered Alice. "We were intrigued by it and checked it out at that time,"

"What's there to be intrigued about them? Food trucks are actually common,"

"Is that so?" Cinderella responded to Hinata's statement, a hint of curiosity in her voice.

"You didn't know? Could it be that you guys never heard of one?" Hinata asked Jack's group.

"Snow White admits that is true until we saw the one from this morning," Snow White stated. "We never thought that trucks could be used to sell food,"

"There must be no food trucks at where you all came from. Although, a place with none is pretty rare,"

"You could say that," Red Riding Hood's reply may seem normal to an ordinary person like Hinata. But, to Jack and his company, it is of great significance since they were cut off from the surface world for as long as they could remember. Sure, they did learn basic concepts relating to the living world during their time in the Jail. However, certain specific ones such as a "food truck" eluded their minds.

"Anyway, where's the food truck that we're going to?"

"It's at the left corner of this road," Jack pointed at end of the road a few feet away from the group. "Oh, and we'll introduce you to the people who own it,"

"Yeah, they're a really interesting bunch. Especially one of them," Red Riding Hood remarked with a smile.

"If you're referring to Hatter, Sister Red, I'd say he's a little obnoxious," Thumbelina appeared uncomfortable at the mention of Hatter.

"Why would you say that, dear sister?" said Snow White.

"Well, he did fawn over us earlier. I could have sworn he looked at Sleepy and Cinderella's chests as if it's no big deal," Blushing, Thumbelina continued, "Plus, he even called me "Thumby". What's the deal with that?"

"Maybe this Hatter guy likes you?" Hinata said in an amused tone.

"What?! D-Don't be ridiculous!" Thumbelina's face turned redder.

"S-Sorry…" Hinata turned away from Thumbelina.

"I'm sure Hatter's alright," Alice assured Thumbelina. "His behavior is most likely a quirk of his own,"

"Yeah," Jack agreed. "As Red Riding Hood said, there are all kinds of people in the world,"

"Yup… Yup…" Sleeping Beauty nodded her head.

"If you all think he's fine, I guess I'll go along with that for now," stated Thumbelina.

"Apart from our current topic, we're nearing our destination," At Gretel's words, everyone began to see Wonder Mart on their left. Walking past the shopping mall, they saw the Tea Party Brigade, it's radio playing a song out loud. Jack and his friends even heard someone singing on the other side of the food truck.

"What's going on?" Jack wondered.

"Let's have a look," Upon Alice's words, the group quickly headed for and stood a short distance away from the front of the truck. To their surprise, particularly Jack and the Blood Maidens', the person singing was none other than Hatter. Wearing a wireless headset, he is serenading three female students seated at one of four round tables facing the truck. While Hatter sang, March and Drake were watching from the truck's kitchen after having served tea and cakes to their customers. Additionally, some passersby stopped to watch Hatter's performance.

 _I'm in love with Mary Jane  
I'm not the only one_ _  
_ _If Mary wanna play around  
I let her have her fun_ _  
_ _She's not the kind of girl_ _  
_ _That you can just tie down_ _  
_ _She likes to spread her love_ _  
_ _And turn your head around_

 _Do you love me Mary Jane?_ _  
_ _Yeah. Whoa-oh-oh_ _  
_ _Do ya? Do ya? Do ya?  
Now do you think you love me Mary Jane  
Don't you play no games_

Jack's group stared at Hatter as the latter flirted with his female audience while singing. Seeing this, Thumbelina blinked twice. "Look at him trying to seduce those girls," she then said to her friends in a criticizing manner. "Isn't he ashamed of himself?"

"You got to hand it to him though," Red Riding Hood commented. "He's quite the singer,"

"And all the more impressive I must say!" Hameln, who seemed to be enjoying Hatter's performance, said.

After Hatter wrapped up his performance, the female students and passersby clapped their hands. Even Jack, Hinata and most of the Blood Maidens joined in. Thumbelina could not help but smile while Gretel appeared fascinated by the people's reactions. Soon, the female students and the crowd began leaving the Tea Party Brigade. At the same time, Hatter brought his headset down onto his neck. He, March and Drake then noticed Jack's group.

"Hey!" Hatter called out to them cheerfully. With March and Drake following from behind, he walked towards the group. Arms spread wide, Hatter greeted them. "What's up, Jack, my man, my angels and…," Noticing Hinata, Hatter pointed at him. "This your friend?"

"Yes, this is Hinata Taketori. He's a classmate of mine and Alice's," Turning to Hinata, Jack said, "Hinata, these are Mark Hatter, March Harrison and Drake Mouse," March bowed politely while Drake raised his hand. As for Hatter, he offered his hand to Hinata.

"How you doing, man?"

Shaking hands with Hatter, Hinata replied, "Uh… I'm fine, thank you,"

Hameln stepped forward and praised Hatter. "Your performance was truly splendid!" "Tell me, what was that song you sang? I wish to learn it!"

"That, my girl, is a piece of funk sung by Rick James. It's called "Mary Jane". Dates back to the 70s,"

"Who is Rick James?" Cinderella frowned.

"You don't know Rick James?" Hatter said in slight disbelief. "He's one of the classics, girl! Just like Michael Jackson, James Brown and all the others. Ever heard of them?"

"No…" Everyone in Jack's group save Hinata had a blank expression on their faces.

"You all listen to music, right?" Drake asked Jack and his friends. "Even if you don't, surely you've heard of certain singers?"

"To be honest, we've heard of music but, we've never actually listened much of it," Alice stated.

"How about singing? You all sing?" asked Hatter.

"Not really…" said Jack.

"Man, you people must have been deprived of the good things in life," Hatter added frankly, "Music is the food of the soul! You can't live without it! You should be indulging in it, man. Appreciate it's beauty,"

"You really like music I see," commented Hinata.

"Indeed, he does," March spoke. "In fact, the three of us have a liking towards it. Putting that aside, what brings all of you to our humble establishment?"

"Oh, that's right," March's question reminded Jack of something. "We wanted to talk about the tea party. Would it trouble you three if we do so?"

"Tea party?" Hinata became curious.

"Sure, we don't mind. Hatter and March can talk with all of you about that while I tend to the customers," said Drake.

"Thanks, Drake! Don't mind if we do!" Red Riding Hood thanked Drake. As Drake moved back to the Tea Party Brigade's kitchen, the rest went behind it. Everyone started to talk about the tea party which Hatter offered to host to Jack's group. In the middle of their discussion, Hinata was brought up to date on the situation by Jack and the Blood Maidens.

"You're all planning to have a tea party together?" Hinata asked Jack's group.

"Yup! You're welcome to join us, Hinata!" said Red Riding Hood.

"I don't know if I should," Hinata sounded reluctant. "It will be rude of me to participate since Hatter didn't invite me personally,"

Hatter laughed heartily. "Man, you don't have to be so polite, Hinata! A friend of Jack and his gals is a friend of ours too. Of course you're welcome!"

"Isn't it a bit too kind to host it free of charge though?" Hinata asked.

"Don't worry about it. I got this," Hatter assured. "Oh, and it ain't gonna be just about tea and cakes. We gonna have some music and dancing as well,"

"Dancing?" Jack and a few of the Blood Maidens said in unison.

"That would be magnificent! Long have I dreamed to dance together with my beloved comrades!" Hameln delighted at the idea of dancing with her friends, one which she sought to accomplish after their escape from the Jail.

"But, we don't know how to dance…" Thumbelina stated.

"That will be no problem," March held out one hand. "If you like, we can teach you,"

"You will?" Cinderella raised her eyebrows.

"Seeing how you fellas never exposed yourselves to music, March here has a point," Hatter shifted his attention to the Blood Maidens. "Besides, I don't mind hitting the dance floor with a bunch of hotties like y'all. Especially you, Thumby," Hatter eyed Thumbelina flirtatiously.

"W-Why me?" Thumbelina became surprised.

"Because the way you talk indicates that you got some spunk in ya. And I like me some plucky girls. That's right, Thumby, I like ya and I wantcha," Out of amusement over Hatter's words, March grinned lightly.

"Are you trying to seduce me?" Thumbelina gave Hatter a frown.

Raising his eyebrows, Hatter replied, "Ain't nobody seducing you, Thumby. I'm just admiring ya," In a sing-song manner, Hatter added, "In fact, you look so good I say we go around the world in a day~ Don't say no, no. Shake it my way, yeah~ That's Ricky Martin by the way," Jack and his company stared blankly at Hatter. Alice cleared her throat to get everyone's attention.

"About the tea party, when shall it be?"

"May I suggest having it on Sunday?" March proposed. "That day is best for leisure in a country like Japan,"

"That sounds lovely," Cinderella approved of March's proposition. "Where shall we hold it then?"

"How about the park?" Jack recommended. "It's pretty spacious there. Also, we can have the party at night since we've gone there once during that time of day,"

"Great idea, Jack!" said an excited Red Riding Hood. "What do you all think, everyone?"

"Rapunzel loves going to the park!" Rapunzel said happily.

"I'd say that's a wonderful idea," Alice smiled pleasantly. "The park is definitely suitable for our party. Like Jack said, it's a nice place since we've been there,"

"Snow White thinks the same as well, Alice," Snow White concurred. Smiling, Sleeping Beauty nodded her head in agreement.

"I'd say why not," Thumbelina shared her sisters' views.

"A tea party under the moonlight," Kaguya remarked while smiling. "I must say that would be quite the experience,"

"I agree," Despite not showing it, Gretel seemed elated. "How delectable the sweet treats of the party would be,"

"Then, it is decided! We shall have our wondrous gathering on the night of Sunday!" Hameln proclaimed enthusiastically. "And if I may humbly request, I shall assist in teaching the art of dancing!"

"Sure thing, Hameln," Hatter snapped his fingers. "Imma go check on Drake by the way. See how he's doing," Walking off, Hatter waved playfully at Thumbelina, "See you later, Thumby,"

"D-Don't call me that!" Thumbelina was taken aback slightly by Hatter's action. As Hatter disappeared around the corner of the Tea Party Brigade, he grinned at Thumbelina flirtatiously.

"He likes you," Red Riding Hood smiled teasingly at Thumbelina.

Rolling her eyes, Thumbelina turned to March. "Is he always like that?"

"Yes, he can be a little cheeky at times," Courteously, March said, "I do apologize if his demeanor perturbed you, Thumbelina. But, rest assured, he is a good person at heart,"

"So long as he doesn't do anything weird to my sisters, I suppose that's fine…" Just as Thumbelina finished speaking, Jack's hand phone rang. Taking it out of his pocket, he soon identified the caller as Mr. Shiro.

"Hello?" Jack placed the phone on his ear.

"Jack, it's me, Mr. Shiro," Mr. Shiro spoke. "May I know where you are?"

"We're just talking with some friends in the middle of town," replied Jack. "Is something the matter, Mr. Shiro?"

"Yes, I am sorry if I am interrupting your chat but, could you come back to the house? There is something that all of you need to know,"

"We'll be right back then. See you later, Mr. Shiro,"

"What did Mr. Shiro need?" Alice asked while Jack kept his hand phone.

"He asked for us to return home," Jack said to the Blood Maidens. "Mr. Shiro sounded as if he wanted to tell us something important,"

"I wonder what it is…" A look of concern emerged on Cinderella's face.

"We'll know once we see him. At the moment, we should head back quickly," Looking at March, Jack said, "March, thanks for your time. We appreciate it. Could you tell Hatter and Drake the same?"

"You're welcome. I will be sure to send the message," As Jack and his company were about to leave, March said to Snow White, "Before you go, may I ask where your beret is?"

"Huh?" Snow White put on a confused expression. "It's on my head. Why do you ask?"

"Are you sure?" March had one hand behind his back while he spoke. "Perhaps, you would like to feel your head?" Everyone looked at Snow White as she touched her hair. To Jack, the Blood Maidens and Hinata's astonishment, Snow White's black beret was nowhere to be seen.

"I-It's gone!" Snow White exclaimed. "But, Snow White wore it since this morning!"

"That you are correct," All eyes were now on March as he walked towards Rapunzel. "Rapunzel," Rapunzel's attention was caught by March. "Would you care to have some candy?" To everyone except March's surprise, he took out from his back Snow White's beret, now filled to the brim with sweets.

"Oh!" Rapunzel's face filled with childlike wonder. "March made candy appear!"

"That's right," March moved towards Snow White. "And now I shall make them…" Quickly, he placed the beret onto her head. "…disappear,"

"Disappear?" Jack and a few of his friends were clueless. How could someone possibly make a whole lot of candy vanish in an instant, they thought.

"Now then, Snow White," Extending a hand towards Snow White's beret, March said, "Care to turn over your beret?" Placing both hands on her beret, Snow White lifted it off her head. To her shock as well as her friends', the beret was now empty.

"W-Where did the candy go?!" Hinata exclaimed.

"The answer, Hinata, is in there," March pointed at Cinderella's school bag in her hand. "Cinderella, could you open your bag and show it's contents to your friends?" Puzzled, Cinderella did as she was told.

"Goodness gracious!" Cinderella felt impressed and surprised. "The candies are in my bag!" True to her words, one of the compartments inside Cinderella's bag is now overflowing with the sweets from Snow White's beret. The sight of this left Jack's group awestruck.

"How did you do that?!" Thumbelina asked March.

In response, March spread his arms and smiled. "Magic," Turning his attention to Snow White again, he said, "I'm sorry if I startled you, Snow White. As a token of my apology, you may have these flowers as white as your name," A bouquet of white roses emerged from March's hand. He then offered it to Snow White.

"T-Thank you," Snow White's cheeks were flushed as she took the bouquet.

"That was amazing!" Kaguya commented. "How could you possibly have done all that without us noticing?"

Laughing softly, March said, "I'm afraid that will have to wait for another time. For now, you best be on your way. I believe all of you have important business to attend to,"

"As amazed as I am about what March did, he's right," Alice stated.

"Yeah, we better leave," Leaving with his friends, Jack complimented March, "That was a great performance, March. Thanks for showing it to us,"

"Anytime, Jack," Waving at Jack's group, March said, "Take care now," March watched Jack, the Blood Maidens and Hinata walk across the roundabout towards the town's north road. The group talked excitedly about March's magic trick while Cinderella shared the sweets in her bag with them. During their conversation, Snow White kept her flower bouquet in her school bag. As March watched the group, a smile crept across his face.

"Until we meet again, my friends,"

* * *

Mr. Shiro sat at the lounge in Jack's house. On the table in front of him was his laptop, it's video chat function switched on. Haru, Miko, Clara, Major and Towa are online. Everyone in the lounge waited in silence for Jack and the Blood Maidens to come home. A few minutes later, the door to the lounge opened, revealing Jack's group sans Hinata, who had returned to his own house.

"We're home, Mr. Shiro," Jack said as he and his friends walked hurriedly towards the sofa that Mr. Shiro is seated at.

"You have arrived," Mr. Shiro faced Jack and his company. "My apologies for having called all of you back suddenly. If possible, we did not wish to do so,"

"We?" Alice asked. "Is Haru joining us?"

"That is correct," Motioning to the sofa, Mr. Shiro continued, "Do have a seat. Our friends wish to disclose something of importance," Jack and the Blood Maidens gathered around Mr. Shiro and looked at his laptop. They saw that everyone at Haru's side appeared tense.

"Hey, good to see you all again," Haru greeted Jack's group.

"What's the matter, Haru?" Jack asked. "Did something happen?"

"To be exact, we found something unexpected," Miko pushed her spectacles up.

"Oh? And what may that be?" Gretel's curiosity was piqued.

"For starters, do you remember the Underground Cavern?" Haru asked Jack and his friends.

"That's where we found Hameln. What about it?" Jack answered.

"As you all know, that place was empty back then and we never paid much attention to it," Haru explained. "However, a few of the men working with Towa found a labyrinth inside there. Under Towa's leadership, an expedition team ventured into it. What they saw was unlike anything that we've seen back in the Jail,"

"I never knew that a labyrinth existed in my former abode," Hameln sounded intrigued.

"We never thought of that as well," Haru continued his explanation. "Anyway, that's only half the story. During their exploration, the expedition team came across a room filled with nothing. Well, except for one thing standing inside there,"

"May I ask what that is?" Mr. Shiro asked, his attention focused on Haru's subject.

"It's better if we show you," Miko pressed a button on the laptop at her side. At Jack's side, an image, captured on camera, emerged on Mr. Shiro's laptop. "Does this look familiar to all of you?" Upon closer inspection of the picture, Jack and the Blood Maidens became surprised. Mr. Shiro remained calm and maintained his focus.

"Is that… a Core?" Alice asked.

"It's huge!" Rapunzel remarked with wonder.

"Indeed, what you see here is a Core of the Jail," Miko pressed the same button, making the image in Mr. Shiro's laptop disappear. "Unlike the ones which you have found in the past, this one is larger than an ordinary Core. What I find baffling is how a thing like this could still exist given that the Jail stopped functioning,"

"Hold on a second," Red Riding Hood said. "We already destroyed all of the Jail's Cores and one of them still remains? How is that possible?"

"That's right! This doesn't make any sense!" Thumbelina said with incredulity.

"I can understand your bewilderment on this matter," A concerned look emerged on Miko's face. "Even we are surprised about this. To think that a part of the Jail would remain even after our escape from it…"

"More importantly, has it been destroyed?" Cinderella asked.

"About that, the Bureau just came to a decision," Haru stated. "They want Towa's team to obtain samples of the Core in order to assist in our research. Once they're done with that, the Core shall be destroyed,"

"Would Towa be alright doing that?" Red Riding Hood felt worried. "Shouldn't we be there to help in case something happens?"

"What are you saying, Red Riding Hood?" Major spoke. "You and your friends shouldn't worry about us. We've got enough people at our end. Besides, we don't want to drag you into this since you're all having fun out there,"

"Are you sure?" Jack said.

"You heard Major," In a half-joking manner, Haru added, "Even if you were to convince us to let you help, Towa would be laughing and assuring you all that everything will be fine. Isn't that right, Towa?" Towa appeared to be spacing out for an unknown reason.

"Towa?" Haru raised his eyebrows.

"Hm?" Towa returned to reality. "Why, yes, yes, of course. Ahaha…"

"Is everything alright, Mr. Kadowaki?" Alice enquired. "You look as if you have something on your mind,"

"Oh, it's nothing, don't you worry," Towa gave a good natured smile. "Anyway, if you may excuse me, I'll be taking my leave. Got to check the equipment needed for our work,"

"That soon?" Haru was mildly surprised. "Why the rush, Towa?"

"Well, you know how things are when it comes to the Jail. We got to do something about it before things get worse. With that, see you all. Oh, and have a good day, everyone," Towa signed off, leaving only Haru, Miko, Clara and Major in the video chat.

"I wonder if Towa is alright…" Cinderella said with concern.

"Yeah, he seemed pretty quiet throughout our conversation," stated Jack.

"So, you have noticed," Kaguya said. "It appears I was not the only one who did,"

"Putting that aside," Alice talked to Major. "Major, we appreciate your thoughtfulness. Should the situation call for it though, we don't mind providing our assistance in your work,"

"Don't worry about it, Alice," smiled Major. "We'll let all of you know if anything comes up,"

"I got to say it's pretty scary how that Core is around," Clara mentioned with a frown. "I'm getting a bad feeling about this…"

"I believe the same applies to the rest of us," Miko said.

"Serious matters aside, how's school today?" Haru attempted to lighten up the atmosphere. "Made any new friends?"

"Yup!" Red Riding Hood grinned. "We met these three people running a food truck. They're pretty interesting. Plus, they're going to host a tea party for us!"

"A tea party? Whoa, you guys must be really living the life out there," commented Haru.

"That does sound nice," smiled Miko. "When are you having it?"

"Sunday night," replied Jack. "They were even kind enough to hold it free of charge,"

"Free of charge?!" Clara exclaimed. "I envy you all. You get to enjoy yourselves while I work under the Boss here," She motioned towards Haru.

"Quit complaining, Clara," Haru furrowed his eyebrows. "You did say you wanted to learn how to become a Blood Weapon craftsman, didn't you?"

"Roger that, Boss…" Jack and the Blood Maidens laughed softly at the teacher-student interaction between Haru and Clara.

"Well, that's it for now. We'll be returning to our work," said Haru. "Oh, before I forget, Michiru and Hitsuka called. They're doing well and asked us to send their regards to every one of you,"

"That's great to hear," Thumbelina felt happy. "We were wondering what the two of them were up to,"

"They're busy providing for people requiring help like the needy. As such, they couldn't contact us earlier. Word has it by the way, that Michiru is seen as a goddess of sorts in the eyes of those she helped,"

"That sounds just like her indeed," Snow White said, smiling.

"Yup…" nodded Sleeping Beauty.

"Also, we're thinking of coming by your side for a visit," Haru continued. "If time permits, we should leave for Wonder Ville tomorrow,"

"That's nice of you, Haru," Jack said as he and his friends became delighted. "We'll be looking forward to seeing all of you,"

"Yeah," Haru placed one hand behind his neck, a feeling of nostalgia inside him. "It feels like some time since we got together,"

"That I agree," Miko shared Haru's feelings.

"Well, we better not hold you all up any further," Haru said to Jack's side. "Once again, we'll keep in touch. Until then, you kids take care,"

"We will, Haru," Jack replied. "Goodbye," After everyone wished goodbye to each other, both Jack and Haru's side signed off.

"I wonder if they'll really be alright," Alice appeared to be worried. "Especially, Mr. Kadowaki,"

"Yes, he did leave quite hurriedly," Cinderella stated.

"All we can do is believe in them," Jack said to the Blood Maidens. "Even if something happens, we'll go through it together. That's how it's been all this time,"

"Rapunzel agrees!" Rapunzel happily concurred with Jack's words.

"That's right, Jack," Thumbelina followed. "We'll break through any obstacle standing in our way,"

"It is just as Jack said," Hameln said to Alice. "So, rest assured, m'lady, everything shall be under control!"

"Thank you," Alice smiled. "Let us do our best together like we always have,"

"Yeah," Jack nodded in agreement with Alice.

"You all have each other," Mr. Shiro placed his laptop onto his lap. "With the bonds you have forged amongst yourselves, I believe anything is possible. Aside from this, do you have any homework to complete?"

"Actually, we'd like to take a look at the shops in this town," Jack said. "Come to think of it, we've never really toured much of the town ever since we came here,"

"What about homework?" asked Thumbelina.

"We can do it after dinner," suggested Jack. "Would you like to come with us, Mr. Shiro?"

"I say why not," Mr. Shiro replied. "And while we're at it, we can even have dinner outside the house,"

"That sounds like a plan!" an enthusiastic Red Riding Hood got out of her seat. "Shall we go?"

"I'll be keeping my laptop first," Mr. Shiro held his laptop and stood up. "If you'd like, you all may go ahead to the town centre,"

"It's okay. We'll wait for you," Jack said.

"In that case, do excuse me," Mr. Shiro walked to the stairs, his laptop held close to his chest. While he climbed up the stairs, Jack and the Blood Maidens talked about potential shops to visit. Reaching the hall upstairs, Mr. Shiro muttered something to himself.

"Why would something like that still exist? Could it be that there are things related to the Jail that we do not know of?" Mr. Shiro headed for his room and stopped in front of it's door. "No, I am probably overthinking things. Should something happen though, I will have to be the one to take action. Those young kids do not need to dirty their hands once more," Mr. Shiro then opened the door and entered his room.

"Do you not think so, Professor?"


	7. Chapter 6

On the outside, Towa Kadowaki possesses a friendly demeanor. When conversing with people, he exhibits himself in a good natured manner. On top of that, he never fails to put on a smile even during serious situations. Because of this, many who meet him for the first time find him approachable.

Beneath his cheerful exterior however, lies a horrifying past. When Towa was a child, his parents were brutally killed by Marchens. The shock and trauma from the incident motivated him into fighting the monsters who murdered his family in cold blood. Despite this, the trauma remained and led to his mind being partially broken. In order to maintain his sanity, Towa tortured and killed any Marchens he laid his hands on when the opportunity arose. Jack and Alice once asked him to change his ways, only to have their words fall on deaf ears.

On the day everyone escaped from the Jail, a feeling of great relief swept over Towa. No longer would he have to struggle to retain his sanity. It was an opportunity for him to turn over a new leaf and start afresh. Hence, he discarded the thoughts of his past deeds and devoted himself to assisting the Dawn in their current efforts.

Then, the nightmares came.

Every night, Towa relived the same scenario-The image of his parents being mutilated by a horde of Marchens. No matter what he did, the same scene haunted him in his sleep again and again. Though disturbed, Towa disclosed nothing of his nightmares to anyone and remained his normal amiable self.

That however, will soon change. From the moment the Underground Cavern's Core was discovered, Towa occasionally heard voices in his head. The voices were encouraging yet tempting. At times, Towa felt as if he was being goaded to do something.

 _Do you seek power?_

 _They wouldn't have died if you were stronger._

 _I can help you attain strength._

 _Offer yourselves to me and your wish shall be true._

Regardless, Towa shook them off and continued with his duties. Unbeknownst to him, the voices were only the beginning. As he and his team prepared to depart for the Underground Caverns once more, little did the expedition team know that their efforts served as a premonition. That their actions would beckon a new evil.

The worst was yet to come…

* * *

Jack and the Blood Maidens along with Mr. Shiro and Hinata are walking towards the roundabout from the residential area. Previously, Jack and his friends left for Hinata's house and invited him to join them in their tour. With Hinata joining everybody, the group decided to head to the Tea Party Brigade and invite Hatter's company as well.

"Thanks for inviting me. You didn't need to go all the way to call me though," Hinata said to Jack and his company with gratitude.

"Don't sweat it, Hinata," Red Riding Hood grinned at Hinata. "We don't mind the extra company. Besides, the more the merrier as they say,"

"By the way, I didn't know you all had a guardian," Hinata then spoke to Jack and the Blood Maidens. "What happened to your parents?"

"About that, Hinata, Jack and the girls were orphans," Mr. Shiro answered. "I do not wish to mention this but, they were born with no memories of their parents,"

"Is that true?" Hinata could not believe what he heard.

"That's right," Jack said. "Even if we knew our parents, our memories of them are pretty vague," Jack's words were partly true. In truth, Jack and the Blood Maidens were born from Marchens that mimicked the appearances of their respective mothers. It is due to this that they had no recollection of their origins until a certain point in time when they learnt the truth of their birth. Of course, there was no way Jack and his friends would bring themselves to mention their true origins to ordinary people. Doing so could end up bewildering them.

Just then, Hinata noticed a few of the Blood Maidens, mainly Kaguya, Cinderella and Snow White, having forlorn looks on their faces. "I'm sorry," he said. "Maybe I shouldn't have asked about your parents," Hearing Hinata's words, the three girls' moods lightened up.

"There is no need to apologize," Kaguya smiled. "All individuals have a past. What matters are the things that we do in the present,"

"Indeed. Regardless of the past, what is important is that we are grateful to be together like this," said Cinderella.

"Putting that aside, do we have to call Hatter to join us?" Thumbelina asked with reluctance. "I don't feel good over having him with us all the time,"

"Come on, Thumby, why the skepticism?" Red Riding Hood added teasingly, "Could it be that you're shy when he's around?"

"Of course not! Why should I be?" replied a surprised Thumbelina.

"Isn't it obvious?" Gretel spoke in a slightly teasing manner. "It's because he likes you. The fact that you are flustered indicates you're resisting his efforts to engage in romantic conduct with you. This further implies that you possess an inner desire to reciprocate his actions which you constantly suppress by putting up a strong front,"

"Gretel, don't you even start!" Thumbelina spoke in a mixture of embarrassment and irritation.

"There now, Thumbelina," With a friendly smile, Mr. Shiro calmed the red headed Blood Maiden. "There is no need to get worked up. Let us meet your friends shall we?" After some time, everyone arrived at the Tea Party Brigade which was getting closed up for the day. Hatter, March and Drake were introduced to Mr. Shiro and informed of Jack and his friends' trip around the town.

"You're asking us to go on a date?" Hatter asked the Blood Maidens eagerly.

"It's not a date, Hatter," Thumbelina corrected Hatter. "Don't get the wrong idea,"

"I was only playing, Thumby," said a grinning Hatter. "Seriously though, it's a great honor to have beautiful maidens such as yourselves come up and invite us to go out together,"

"What's there to be honored about?" A confused Hinata asked.

"So, where are we headed first?" Drake said to everyone.

"We're not entirely sure," Alice pondered. "We have a few places in mind but, we don't know if our destinations are within this town,"

"There's no need to worry so much about that, Alice," Red Riding Hood gave a cheerful grin. "We'll go wherever our legs want to take us. It'll be an adventure!" Rapunzel nodded at Red Riding Hood's statement happily.

Hatter snapped his fingers and pointed at Red Riding Hood with a finger gun. "I like the sound of that! What're we waiting for, fellas? Let's paint the town RED!" Letting out a loud cheer, Hatter skipped away happily. All eyes were on him as he began moving his body rhythmically to the thought of going out with the Blood Maidens. Hatter's actions caused Thumbelina to shake her head.

"Let us depart, shall we?" At March's words, everyone left the Tea Party Brigade and spent the evening visiting several shops in Wonder Ville. Their first stop was a bookshop in which Gretel purchased an erotic romance novel called "Hundred Layers of Pink". When asked why she bought it, she replied, "Because I find it intriguing,"

The group's next stop was an ice cream shop. There, Jack and the Blood Maidens, Rapunzel in particular, were intrigued at the sight of the colorful ice cream flavors on display. At Rapunzel's bidding, Mr. Shiro bought a cone with multiple scoops of ice cream for her. Leaving the ice cream shop, everyone watched happily as Rapunzel enjoyed her deliciously cold treat.

Other places the group went to include a pet shop, a boutique and a flower shop. At the pet shop, Red Riding Hood adored a terrier and cuddled it. Kaguya was surprised upon seeing the pet shop's undercoat rakes which resembled one of her special lazy tools, the "Cat's Paw".

In the boutique, Cinderella, Alice and Snow White tried on several dresses with March commenting on the trio's beauty including Snow White's. At one point, Jack blushed a little when Alice wore a floral dress. This prompted Hatter to tease Jack, saying that the latter liked Alice, to which Jack himself protested against.

At the flower shop, Hatter jokingly wooed Thumbelina by offering her a red rose. In response, Thumbelina smacked him in the head leading to Hatter remarking, "For a tiny girl, you sure hit like a truck," What ensued next was a hilarious chase scene with Thumbelina pursuing Hatter relentlessly outside of the shop. It took Red Riding Hood, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty to calm Thumbelina down and resolve the situation.

With the evening coming to a close, everyone decided to have dinner in a western restaurant. The restaurant, located in the middle of the shops between the north and east road, had two glass windows at it's front. It's interior comprised of several round tables encircling an empty circular space. Classical music played from two small speakers attached to one corner of the restaurant's ceiling each.

Jack and his company sat a short distance away from the restaurant's entrance. While the group enjoyed their dinner, Hatter requested for Jack and the Blood Maidens to share their experiences at school to which the latter complied. As everyone discussed the matter, Gretel unashamedly shared about Red Riding Hood being "attacked" after the day's Physical Education lessons. Much to Red Riding Hood's embarrassment, Hatter burst out laughing, prompting Thumbelina to get out of her seat and smack him once more. Before she could, Alice brought Thumbelina back to her seat and told her to be calm. Despite her disapproval over Hatter's behavior, Thumbelina complied with Alice's words.

"I got to say it's nice for us to be together like this," said a smiling Jack. "Not to mention being able to see different kinds of things earlier,"

"You're right, Jack," Alice, who sat next to Jack, agreed. "Although we've seen our fair share of them, there are more that we had yet to find in this world,"

"Quite right, Alice," Cinderella sounded pleased. "The world is indeed a wondrous place!"

"You guys' speaking as if you've never seen much around you," Looking at everyone, Hatter added, "Say how bout we talk more about ourselves? Especially y'all," Hatter moved his gaze towards Jack and the Blood Maidens.

"Why us?" Thumbelina raised an eyebrow.

"Come on, Thumby," Hatter said. "You and yo friends ain't know nothing bout stuff like music. Plus, your names are based on them fairy tales. Anybody would get curious when they hear that. So, what say we break the ice? Get to know each other better,"

"Is it alright if I start?" Hinata suggested. "I'd like to say something,"

"But, of course, Hinata," March said politely. "We do not mind in the slightest," Hinata became quiet as if he was reflecting on something. Jack and the rest of the group had their attention on him as he prepared to speak.

"Ever since I was little, I never had many friends. Because of that, I kept getting bullied by people around me. People like Ichijo and his friends that is. I never dared to talk back no matter what they did. Even when I felt mad, I couldn't bring myself to say anything,"

"I'm sorry to hear about that," Jack became sympathetic at Hinata's explanation. Even some of the Blood Maidens shared Jack's sympathy.

"You don't have to be," Hinata continued his story. "Anyway, for as long as I remember, things had always been that way for me," Seeing Jack and the Blood Maidens, Hinata said, "Then, you all came. To be honest, I find all of you awe inspiring. Especially you, Alice,"

"Me?" Alice appeared startled.

"When I saw how you stood up against Ichijo's gang, I felt like I wanted to do the same. And I did although; it led to me getting beaten up in the end. After that, you all came and helped me. You all even invited me, of all people, to go out with you. I've never had anyone do that to me before,"

"And that's why I'd like to say, I'm grateful for what you all did for me. Because of what you've done, I feel inspired to better myself. Also, if you ever need anything, I'll help in any way I can. It will be my way of thanking all of you for the things you did,"

"Simply put, I want to say thanks. That's all I'd like to say," Hinata saw that the group was quiet. "I'm sorry for bringing up a long story like this. I just felt like sharing what I really feel,"

"There's nothing to apologize for, Hinata," Alice smiled. "It's only natural for friends to share their thoughts with each other,"

"It is like Alice said," Mr. Shiro added. "If I may ask, Hinata, do you resent the delinquents who harassed you?"

"No…" Hinata cast his eyes down. "I just hope that they've learnt their lesson for good. At least, that's what I think at the moment,"

"I am sure they have realized the impact of their actions," Kaguya stated. "Especially given that they had a change of heart,"

"Kaguya's right," In a positive tone, Red Riding Hood said, "Anyway, Hinata, don't worry so much about thanking us. What matters is that you're alright,"

"Are you sure?" Hinata was unsure of Red Riding Hood's words. "It'll be inappropriate for me not to do anything in return for what you all did,"

"You heard Red," Hatter said. "Seriously, you don't hafta be so formal. Relax. We're friends. No need to be too polite, man. Be natural,"

"Still, I'll do my best from here onwards," replied Hinata. "That won't change,"

"That's good to hear," said a smiling Jack. "If anything, we'll be glad to help. What do you think, everyone?" He addressed the whole group.

"I agree with Jack!" Hameln happily said. "As friends, it is important for us to lend moral and emotional supper to each other!" Her slip of the tongue led to Hinata becoming confused. Seeing this, Gretel gave a soft sigh.

"Um… Hameln?" Alice appeared to be slightly amused. "I believe you meant to say 'support',"

"W-Why yes, you're quite right, m'lady," Hameln cleared her throat.

"So, um… now that I'm finished, who wants to go next?" Hinata moved his eyes across everyone.

"How about Hatter and his two friends?" Cinderella looked at Hatter, March and Drake. "I must admit, I have been curious about the three of you. What with how you have conducted yourself so far,"

"Oooh, you wanna know about me and my pals so bad?" A huge smile crept across Hatter's face. "You must really like us, Cinderella,"

"You better not be getting any funny ideas when you said that, Hatter," Thumbelina narrowed her eyes at Hatter.

"Whatchu talking about, Thumby?" Hatter replied playfully. "I was just playing. Anyway, you all really wanna know bout the three of us? It's gonna be a long story,"

"We don't mind," Jack said with a smile. "I actually am curious about you and your friends too like Cinderella,"

"I'm with Jack," said Alice. "In fact, there a few things I'd like to know in particular. For instance, your way of speech, Hatter, and how you performed your 'magic' earlier, March,"

"We'd like to share about ourselves," said Drake. "But, like Hatter said, it's a long story,"

"It's fine," Red Riding Hood appeared keen. "It'll be like listening to something out of a story book,"

"All right then," Grinning, Hatter placed his elbows on the table and clasped his hands. "Imma gonna tell you all our story-A story from a land far, far away. So, listen up, y'all. This is going to be one h*** of a long a** tale-" While he was talking, a waiter holding a wireless microphone stood in the center of the restaurant. Speaking into it, he got the customers' attention including Jack and his friends'.

"To our fellow customers, I hope that every one of you is enjoying your dinner. Tonight, our restaurant is going to host a special routine for all of you. Any one of you may request for us to play a song of your choice. And while the song plays, you and your friends may dance to it. Now, then, who will like to start?" The customers began talking amongst themselves. Most of them appeared keen at the waiter's offer. Hatter quickly turned to look at Jack and the rest of his friends.

"You know what? Instead of that story, I got a better idea," Getting out of his seat, he added, "Excuse me, fellas," Signaling for March and Drake to follow him, the trio walked towards the waiter. Hatter and his companions discussed something with the waiter while the rest of Jack's group looked at the four individuals.

"What's Hatter doing?" Thumbelina wondered.

"You don't think the three of them are going to dance, are they?" asked Hinata.

"I wonder…" said Alice. At Hatter and his friends' side, the three had finished talking with the waiter. As the trio headed back to Jack and his company's table, the waiter signaled for his colleague, who stood next to a counter a few feet away from him, to prepare something.

"Today's your lucky day, fellas!" Hatter announced to Jack's group as he, March and Drake stood in front of them. "The three of us are gonna show y'all how to dance!"

"N-Now?!" Jack was startled at Hatter's announcement. "Why are you saying that all of a sudden?"

"I'd say that would be lovely!" Hameln's eyes lit up. "Let us all partake of this experience!"

"Actually, Hameln, only three of you are gonna hit the dance floor with us," replied Hatter.

"And who among us are you referring to?" Kaguya asked.

"Oh, that'll be Thumby and her sisters here," Hatter motioned towards Thumbelina and her sisters. At this, Thumbelina and Snow White were surprised. Sleeping Beauty raised her eyebrows.

"What?!" Thumbelina exclaimed. "You can't just decide that on your own!"

"Chillax, it'll be alright. You just gotta follow our lead," Hatter assured Thumbelina in a carefree manner. "Anyway, you and I will go first. Then, March and Snow White will follow along with Drake and Sleeping Beauty-"

"That's not what I meant!" Thumbelina stood up and faced Hatter. "First, you make a move on me and now your friends are going to do the same to my sisters?!"

"We ain't say nothing about making a move on your sisters," replied a surprised Hatter. "We just giving you girls a dance lesson specially from me and my pals,"

"You could have at least asked us first!" Thumbelina responded curtly.

"We only wanna surprise you," Hatter said with a shrug.

"Ladies and gentleman," The waiter from earlier addressed everyone in the restaurant. "May I present to you our song called "Smooth" by Santana. Give a round of applause for tonight's dancers, the Tea Party Brigade and their lovely partners, the Thumbelina Sisters!" The customers clapped their hands with some of them cheering loudly. Soon, the restaurant's speakers blared out a hybrid of Latin rock and pop rock.

"Okay, Thumby, I'm sorry for not telling you earlier but, this is going be the best chance of your life," Hatter spoke quickly. "So, you just gonna stand there doing nothing or are you gonna dance?"

"What should we do, dear sister?" Snow White asked Thumbelina anxiously.

"Argh, fine!" Thumbelina said in an irked tone. "Let's do this!" She then said to Hatter, "You and your friends better not do anything weird to my sisters though!"

"No problem," Hatter took Thumbelina's hand. "Let's rock this joint!" The latter was startled by Hatter pulling her close to him. The customers watched as Hatter and Thumbelina danced at the center of the restaurant.

 _Man, it's a hot one_ _  
_ _Like seven inches from the midday sun_ _  
_ _Well, I hear you whispering in the words, to melt everyone_ _  
_ _But you stay so cool_

Jack, the Blood Maidens and Hinata watched in surprise as Thumbelina danced with Hatter gracefully despite having never danced before. Gretel in particular, appeared to be fascinated. Mr. Shiro watched Hatter and Thumbelina's performance with interest. In the middle of it, March extended his hand towards Snow White.

"Shall we?" he asked her. Although Snow White was nervous, she accepted March's offer and danced with him. At the same time, Drake asked Sleeping Beauty whether she wanted to dance to which she agreed. Everyone in the restaurant was now greeted with the sight of three pairs of youngsters dancing the waltz together.

 _My muñequita, my Spanish Harlem, Mona Lisa_ _  
_ _You're my reason for reason_ _  
_ _The step in my groove_

 _And if you said this life ain't good enough_ _  
_ _I would give my world to lift you up_ _  
_ _I could change my life to better suit your mood_ _  
_

 _Because you're so smooth_

To the astonishment of the customers including Jack and his friends', Hatter, March and Drake lifted their respective partners up and spun around momentarily. Putting Thumbelina and her sisters back on their feet, the three boys upped their rhythm by performing the tango with the girls. As the music reached it's climax, Hameln delighted at the sight of the current turn of events. Even the rest of Jack's group shared her delight.

 _And it's just like the ocean under the moon_ _  
_ _Oh, it's the same as the emotion that I get from you_ _  
_ _You got the kind of lovin' that can be so smooth, yeah_ _  
_ _Give me your heart, make it real or else forget about it_

The music switched to an instrumental interlude. Hearing this, Hatter and his two companions moved a few steps away from their dance partners and swayed their bodies rhythmically. At the encouragement of the trio, Thumbelina, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty joined in. They could not believe how they were able to do so despite having little to none dancing skills. Nevertheless, it was clear that the three sisters enjoyed themselves.

Soon after, the song repeated it's chorus. Hatter and Thumbelina's group switched back to the waltz followed by the tango. Their smooth transition from one style to another impressed the audience leading to some of them cheering out loudly. A short while later, Hatter, March and Drake concluded their performance by ushering their partners back to their seats and bowing down to the audience. The people inside the restaurant clapped their hands. While they did, Hameln gave a loud "Bravo!" twice.

With the performance over, Jack and his group left the restaurant after having their bill paid by Mr. Shiro. Walking on the road in between the shops, they talked about Thumbelina and her sisters' dancing.

"I didn't know you were such a dancer, Thumby!" Red Riding Hood sounded amazed. "Since when did you learn how to dance?"

"I must say I'm impressed," Kaguya said with wonder. "I never thought of you to be the kind who would embrace something as graceful as dancing, Thumbelina,"

"I don't know how I did it," Thumbelina replied with uncertainty. "When Hatter made me dance with him, my body started moving on it's own,"

"Snow White felt the same thing as well," said Snow White.

"Me too…" Sleeping Beauty stated.

"That's the magic of dancing, girls," Hatter said to Thumbelina and her sisters. "Once you start grooving to the beat, you stop thinking. Instead, your body does all the talking,"

"More importantly, did you enjoy yourselves?" March spoke. "I do apologize for having the three of you dance with us all of a sudden, by the way,"

"It's alright, March," Snow White said happily. "Snow White was surprised at first but, it turned out to be fun in the end,"

"I'm glad to hear that you liked it," said Drake.

"Mm… Mm…" Sleeping Beauty nodded, an expression of delight on her face.

"Rapunzel wants to dance too!" Rapunzel cried out joyfully.

"Me too," Red Riding Hood grinned. "Seeing all that dancing made me want to join in as well,"

"I feel the same way," Jack smiled. "We can all dance together at our tea party on Sunday,"

"I would love to do that, Jack," said a delighted Alice. "We should even have Haru's side join us once they arrive here,"

"That is a swell idea indeed, m'lady!" Hameln stated enthusiastically.

"I can't imagine Haru dancing with us though…" said a doubtful Thumbelina.

"I am sure they will like the idea, Thumbelina," said Mr. Shiro. "For now, let us return home and settle in for the night," The group exited the shops between the northern and eastern roads. After some time, everyone arrived at the front of Jack's house. Mr. Shiro proceeded to unlock the door with Jack and the Blood Maidens standing behind him. Hinata, Hatter, March and Drake stood behind Jack and the Blood Maidens, waiting for the latter to enter their house.

"Thank you for the meal tonight, Mr. Shiro," Hinata spoke while Mr. Shiro opened the door.

"You're welcome, Hinata," Mr. Shiro smiled. "It was a pleasure having met you. As well as the three of you," He looked at Hatter, March and Drake.

"No problem, Mr. Shiro. We appreciate the meal by the way," said Hatter.

"Well, we'll see you all tomorrow," Jack said to Hinata, Hatter, March and Drake. "Good night," At Jack's words, everyone wished each other good night. Just as Jack, the Blood Maidens and Mr. Shiro were about to go through the door, Hatter said to Thumbelina, "Thumby, you got a minute? There's something you need to know,"

"What is it?" Thumbelina along with her companions turned around to face Hatter.

Turning his head sideways, Hatter placed a finger on one of his cheeks. In a girly voice, he said, "Aren't you gonna gimme a good night kiss, Thumby?" Thumbelina blinked out of disbelief at what she heard. While she and her friends stared at Hatter, Red Riding Hood started to chuckle. Hinata looked dumbfounded upon hearing Hatter's words.

"Hatter, can I say something?" Thumbelina asked.

"Sure, what is it?" Hatter replied.

"Drop dead," Looking displeased, Thumbelina walked into the house. "Let's go, everyone," As Jack and his company entered their house, Snow White silently apologized to Hatter's group for Thumbelina's choice of words. Once the door to Jack's house closed, Hatter frowned at March, Drake and Hinata.

"You see how she talked to me?" he asked.

"Well, you did say something odd right out of the blue," Hinata became concerned. "I hope Thumbelina's alright…"

"Rest assured, she will be," said March. "A girl's heart is ever changing,"

"That aside, shall we go?" Drake asked.

"Yeah, let's go hit the hay," Walking away from Jack's house together with March and Drake, Hatter said to Hinata, "Catch you tomorrow, man,"

"Sure, see you tomorrow," With Hinata and Hatter's group having bid each other their goodbyes, the former walked back home. Just like that, another seemingly ordinary day had passed for everyone. Tomorrow was going to be another day for them.

Or so that is what they believe it would be…


	8. Chapter 7

Jack, the Blood Maidens and Hinata are walking across the town's roundabout, ready for another morning at school. The previous night, at Jack's house, Thumbelina voiced her frustration over Hatter's behavior up until now-Of how he fondly calls her "Thumby" and his attempts at flirting with her. After being assured that things will be alright, Thumbelina was advised by Snow White to apologize to Hatter for having spoken harshly towards him. With this in mind, the group planned to stop by the Tea Party Brigade along the way to school.

"I hope this will work out fine," Thumbelina sighed. "Why did I have to say those words to Hatter?"

"For a person such as you, it's only natural to give that kind of response," said Gretel. "It proves to show that to a certain extent, you're hiding your feelings for Hatter,"

"I don't have any feelings for him, Gretel!" Thumbelina shot Gretel a glance. Frowning, she added, "It's just that… this is my first time dealing with a person like Hatter. He's nice but at the same time, he gets on my nerves,"

"Don't worry about it, Thumbelina," Jack assured. "This is just a reminder that there're different types of people in this world,"

"You already said that…" Still frowning, Thumbelina replied.

"What's more important is that we resolve this issue amicably," stated Alice. "Speaking of which, here we are," Everyone was now at the Tea Party Brigade. Hatter, March and Drake were setting up tables in front of their truck. Upon Jack and his company's arrival, both Jack and Hatter's side greeted each other.

"Morning, fellas! Wassup?" Hatter said in his cheerful demeanor.

"Good day, friends," March spoke politely.

"Good morning," said Drake in a quiet yet courteous manner.

"Good morning," Jack said as he and his company responded to Hatter, March and Drake's greeting. "I see that you're setting up shop,"

"Indeed we are," said March. "How may we help you?"

"Actually, Thumbelina wants to speak with Hatter," Hinata motioned towards the red headed Blood Maiden. "I hope you don't mind listening to what she has to say,"

"Thumby wanna say something to me?" Hatter asked. "What about?" Thumbelina stepped forward and faced Hatter.

"About that," she said. "It's regarding what I said to you when we came home from dinner last night,"

"Do you mean the part where you asked for Hatter to 'Drop dead'?" asked Drake.

"Y-Yeah, that's right," Thumbelina felt a little nervous. Blushing, she said to Hatter, "I'm sorry for what I said to you. It was my bad,"

"Hey, don't sweat it, Thumby," A sad look emerged on Hatter's face. "In fact, I gotta apologize as well,"

"For what?" Thumbelina became puzzled.

"Well, I did kinda go overboard with mah words last night you know. What with how I asked you for a kiss," Glancing downwards, Hatter continued. "So, that's why I want to make it up with you,"

"Hatter…" Thumbelina and her friends were slightly surprised at Hatter's demeanor.

"And for that, I have a proposal," Putting on a huge grin, Hatter said to Thumby, "How bout a date?" Jack, the Blood Maidens and Hinata fell into a stunned silence at Hatter's words.

"Excuse me?" Thumbelina asked.

"You heard me, Thumby. You and I on a date. We go to the city, eat some nice classy food and maybe spend some time under the moonlight like a couple of lovers. Oh, don't worry. It ain't gonna be the two of us alone. March and Drake here can pair up with your sisters and tag along. What do you think?" As Hatter was speaking, March turned his head to the side and chuckled. At the same time, Drake's eyes were on Hatter.

"You know what?" Thumbelina replied with a neutral expression. "I think that's pretty nice,"

"You think so?" Hatter's face brightened up.

"But, only in your dreams," Thumbelina furrowed her eyebrows. "First off, there is no way I am going on a date with you. Also, don't even think of trying to ask my sisters out for one. And if you, March and Drake even think of doing anything questionable to them," In a low, threatening tone, she finished her sentence. "You may end up losing your life," Everyone was unnerved at Thumbelina's words. Hatter in particular, wore a huge frown on his face. March and Drake fell silent, their faces turning serious.

"Just kidding," Thumbelina spoke light-heartedly. "That was only a joke. Or should I say," With a huge smile, she added, "I was just 'playing'," Jack, Hinata and the remaining Blood Maidens were speechless. As for Hatter, he became dumbstruck to the point of staring at Thumbelina with his mouth agape. March started to laugh softly while Drake chuckled to himself.

"I guess that settles it, right?" Red Riding Hood asked.

"I suppose…" Alice then spoke to Hatter's group. "That aside, thank you for your time. We'll be taking our leave now,"

"Yeah ,yeah, sure. See ya later," Hatter nodded his head a few times and waved at Jack's group, who left for the west road. As the latter did, Hatter and his company stared at them.

"God****," Hatter said once Jack and his company left, his tone a mixture of surprise and admiration. "Thumby went Chris Tucker all over me. Especially with the 'playing' part,"

"It was quite the jest indeed," March smiled.

"Yeah, she got you there," Drake agreed with March.

"She playin' hard to get, man. But, she loves me and I know it. Let's get to work, guys," Hatter signaled for his two friends to follow him to the Tea Party Brigade's kitchen. March and Drake looked at him as the latter walked there.

"That's what you say for every girl you meet…" Drake said to himself before he and March began joining Hatter.

* * *

Mr. Shiro is inside his room, seated at his desk. Some time had passed since he saw Jack and the Blood Maidens out of the house. Assuming a steepling pose, the bespectacled man is gazing at his laptop in front of him. As Mr. Shiro looked into the still monitor of the laptop, he pondered over the recent developments pertaining to Towa's side. Most of his thoughts revolved around hypotheses on how the Core found by Towa's team came to be. In the middle of his train of thought, Mr. Shiro's attention was grabbed by his hand phone ringing inside one of his coat's pockets. Answering it, he soon found out that his caller was none other than Haru.

"Shiro, where are you?" Haru's voice contained a sense of urgency.

"I am currently at the house," Mr. Shiro replied. "Is something the matter, Haru? You sound as if something had happened,"

"There's something you need to see at once. Is your laptop with you?"

"Yes, it is right in front of me. Do send me what you want to show," Putting Haru's call on hold, Mr. Shiro accessed his e-mail and found a new message from Haru in there. Clicking on it, he then viewed a video recording attached to the message. The recording showed the members of Towa's expedition team extracting samples from the Underground Cavern's Core. Towa himself was seen standing still observing the work done by his team members.

Mr. Shiro watched the recording with great attention, phone at his ear. As he did, the expression on his face slowly changed into one of utter shock. It was as if he had witnessed something terrifying. Seconds later, the video ended with a static screen. Despite what he had seen, Mr. Shiro maintained his composure.

"Haru, is this for real?" Mr. Shiro spoke seriously.

"As much as I wish it isn't, it is," Haru sounded tense. "Right now, the Bureau is conducting an emergency meeting to discuss the appropriate course of action. Aside from that, there's one more thing you need to know,"

"What is it?" Mr. Shiro listened intently.

"That thing you saw in the video? It's headed for Wonder Ville,"

* * *

At Shinzo Academy, classes are underway as usual. After being taught the first two subjects of the day, the students were given a ten minute break. During that time, Jack and the Blood Maidens chatted with their classmates inside their respective classrooms. Inside Class 1-3, Rapunzel talked to a few students about the Tea Party Brigade with childlike excitement. Her classmates listened intently while Red Riding Hood and Cinderella watched the conversation with a smile.

At her classroom, Gretel took out her newly bought novel and read it, catching the attention of a few students. Upon being enquired on what she was reading, the bespectacled Blood Maiden gave an explanation of the novel's story. Her listeners were stunned and uncomfortable over the fact that she could detail the book's indecent content in a casual manner. When asked to stop, all Gretel replied was a "Why? It's getting interesting you know," Hearing her response, the students were further stunned. Seeing this, Kaguya shook her head slowly and exuded a small sigh.

In Class 1-1, Hinata, Jack and Alice were standing next to the windows, talking about their lessons. In the middle of their conversation, Hinata stared out the window and noticed Mr. Shiro entering the school's main gate. The latter appeared to be walking hurriedly as if in urgency. Quickly, Hinata brought Jack and Alice's attention to what he saw.

"Isn't that Mr. Shiro?" Hinata asked.

"You're right," a puzzled Alice said. "I wonder what he's doing here,"

"Me too," Jack followed. "He looks like he's in a hurry,"

"Let's see what he needs," Saying that, Alice along with Jack and Hinata excused themselves out of their class to head for the entrance. Arriving there, the trio found out that the other Blood Maidens had gathered at the part of the hallway facing the entrance. Soon, Mr. Shiro walked through the school's automatic door and was greeted by the sight of Jack, the Blood Maidens and Hinata.

"Ah, you're all here," Mr. Shiro said to Jack and his company. "Perfect timing,"

"What are you doing here, Mr. Shiro?" Red Riding Hood asked.

"I apologize for having to say this suddenly," Mr. Shiro spoke to Jack and the Blood Maidens. Shifting to a more serious tone, he added, "However, you will need to pack your things right away. We must leave,"

"Did something happen?" asked Alice.

"Yes, but, that will have to wait," replied Mr. Shiro. "In the meantime, I will inform the school principal about the current situation," While Mr. Shiro talked, Hinata was looking through the automatic door's glass. His eyes widened as he saw something land at the front yard.

"Hinata? What's wrong?" Thumbelina noticed Hinata's surprised expression.

"W-What is that?" Hinata pointed his finger towards the yard. Jack, the Blood Maidens and Mr. Shiro looked at the direction Hinata pointed at. It was at that moment that Mr. Shiro became alarmed.

"No… This cannot be!"

* * *

Business at the Tea Party Brigade proceeded normally for Hatter and his two friends. March and Drake had just wished goodbye to some customers who sat by their truck for tea. The duo is now standing in front of the truck's attendance window, waiting for more customers. Hatter is inside the kitchen, listening to the radio's music played out by speakers installed in it's ceilings. Idling about with March, Drake looked up to the sky out of a whim.

It was then that something caught Drake's eye-A black figure flying high up above Wonder Ville. At the sight of this, Drake beckoned for Hatter and March to look at the sky. Rushing out of the kitchen, Hatter joined March and Drake in watching the figure which now flew down and disappeared somewhere into the western area of the town. Even a few passersby stopped to see the descending figure.

"What the h*** is that?" asked a curious Hatter. "Superman come to town or something?"

"More importantly, the direction where that thing headed," Drake said to March and Hatter. "Isn't that where Jack and his friends' school is at?"

"Right you are," A serious expression surfaced on March's face. "I have a bad feeling about this,"

"I feel the same," Drake shared March's view. "I think we should head for the school,"

"Yeah, I agree with Drake," Hatter nodded affirmatively. "Let's close up shop, fellas. We gonna go pay Jack and his pals a visit,"

* * *

The students in Shinzo Academy could not believe what they are currently seeing. Staring out from their respective classrooms' windows, their eyes were focused on the alien figure that had arrived at the school's front yard. The figure, black in color, possessed a humanoid form. It had the head and claws of a dragon as well as red eyes with black slits in them.

Jack and the Blood Maidens stared at the draconic being from the hallway, their eyes wide open in surprise. As for Mr. Shiro, he put on a cool exterior which was belied by a sense of dread inside him. While all eyes were on the school's foreign visitor, one of the teachers called the police with his hand phone. Another had left her classroom to call the principal. In the meantime, the students were advised to remain in their classrooms and not leave the building.

"Is that… a Marchen?" Red Riding Hood asked.

"That cannot be!" Cinderella voiced her doubts. "The Marchens are supposed to have no longer existed after the Jail's end!"

"Um… What are you two talking about?" Hinata asked in a puzzled tone.

"Hinata, I understand that you are unclear on what is going on," Mr. Shiro explained calmly. "However, I advise that you return to your classroom and remain there no matter the circumstances,"

"Why, Mr. Shiro?" Hinata responded, his voice sounding more puzzled. "What's going on?" Right after Hinata spoke, Rapunzel's attention was caught by something happening at the black dragon-like being's side. The blonde Blood Maiden started to growl as if she sensed an imminent threat.

"What's wrong, Rapunzel?" Jack asked as he and the rest of his group took notice of Rapunzel's behavior.

"Prey," Rapunzel said in between growls. "Coming!" At where the draconic entity stood, the being lifted one hand forward. Dark clouds of smoke rose out of the ground around it, giving rise to a horde of more foreign creatures. To Jack and the Blood Maidens' shock, the creatures that emerged were none other than Marchens. The Marchens bore a similar resemblance to the draconic figure except that they had what appeared to be tentacles at the sides of their mouths.

"Kill them," the figure commanded the Marchens in a menacing voice. Roaring wildly, the Marchens charged towards Shinzo Academy's main entrance and first year classrooms. Seeing the monsters heading towards their school, the students, especially the first years, turned afraid. Screams of fright soon filled the halls of the building as they ran out of their classes. The teachers quickly directed them towards the assembly hall, located opposite the entrance, all while trying to calm them down.

"W-what are those things?!" an alarmed Hinata said in the midst of the chaos.

"Hinata, get to safety!" Alice told Hinata. "We'll handle this!"

"Wait, are you going out there? That's suicide!" Hinata replied in a bewildered manner.

"He's right, Alice! Plus, we don't even have our weapons!" Thumbelina stated.

"Then, we've got no choice but, to use brute force! Come on, everyone!" With a determined look on her face, Red Riding Hood called for her companions to face the Marchen horde.

"Alright, be careful!" Despite having doubts on the thought of fighting without weapons, Jack agreed with Red Riding Hood's words.

"I shall assist as well," Mr. Shiro took out a gun from his coat. "Hinata, stay inside and do not come out,"

"O-okay, please take care!" Although Hinata was confused on the current turn of events, he quickly joined the students in entering the assembly hall. Concurrently, Jack, the Blood Maidens and Mr. Shiro moved out of the automatic door and prepared to fight the Marchens. As they did, Ms. Joshima, who was leading a few students to the assembly hall, saw the group exit the building.

Outside, Jack and his friends stood in front of the entrance and readied themselves. The Marchens did not stop their advance even after seeing the group. Immediately, Red Riding Hood gave orders to everyone.

"Everyone split up! Don't let them reach the school!"

"Let's do this!" Jack said with determination.

"We'll do our best!" Snow White stated.

"Very well," Hameln then shouted at the Marchens. "Begone, foul beasts!" Everyone divided themselves into teams of three-Jack, Alice and Mr. Shiro in the first followed by Red Riding Hood, Cinderella and Rapunzel; Thumbelina and her sisters along with Kaguya, Gretel and Hameln. A fight to protect Shinzo Academy then ensued between Jack's side and the Marchens.

Though Jack and the Blood Maidens were not armed, they proved to be not pushovers. Alice fought one-on-one with a Marchen while being protected from enemy attacks by Jack and Mr. Shiro. Rapunzel was biting onto another while Red Riding Hood and Cinderella engaged in hand-to-hand combat with their opponents. Thumbelina subdued a Marchen with help from Snow White and Sleeping Beauty. Hameln incinerated a few Marchens by hurling fireballs at them. At one point, Kaguya had slapped a Marchen in the face with her hand fan and kicked it down to the ground. Another Marchen attempted to strike her from behind only to be knocked aback by a swift palm strike from Gretel.

Some of the students who were fleeing into the school's assembly hall witnessed Jack and his company fighting the Marchens from the hallway. Calling their friends, they moved away from the assembly hall to the first year classrooms. A crowd of first years to third years then thronged the windows of the said classrooms and watched Jack's group whittle away the Marchen horde. Even a few teachers including Ms. Joshima joined them. The students murmured amongst themselves, wondering how Jack and the Blood Maidens could possibly fight against the monsters. As for the teachers, particularly Ms. Joshima, they appeared perplexed at what they are seeing.

The fight against the Marchens ended with Jack's group defeating the last of them, causing their bodies to vanish into smoke. With that, everyone regrouped to face the draconic being which still remained at it's spot.

"Hmph! Those Marchens had nothing on us!" Hameln said proudly.

"Now all that's left is that thing in front of us," Red Riding Hood looked at the being intently.

"Right, let's go, everyone," At Jack's words, his group moved towards the entity and faced it. The being scanned it's eyes across Jack, the Blood Maidens and Mr. Shiro. After doing so, it began speaking to them.

"If it isn't the accursed ones possessing the blood of monsters. How bold of you to have destroyed my kind,"

"It talks!" Red Riding Hood turned surprised. "Is this thing a Nightmare?"

"Who are you?" Alice questioned the being. "Why are you attacking our school?"

"I am Jabberwock," the entity replied. "My sole purpose is to fulfill one objective. Yes, and that is to eliminate all of you," Jabberwock pointed towards Jack and the Blood Maidens.

"What?" Snow White was shocked.

"Why would you want to do that?" Behind Mr. Shiro's glasses, the look in his eyes were dead serious.

"The reason is simple," Jabberwock's voice turned hateful. "It is for revenge,"

"Revenge?" Rapunzel frowned due to not understanding Jabberwock.

"Oh? Have we met before?" Gretel asked.

"Do not act as if you know nothing!" Jabberwock shouted. "Have you forgotten who we are? After having killed us for as long as you could remember?!"

"What's it talking about?" Thumbelina frowned.

"I don't know," Red Riding Hood looked at Jabberwock cautiously. "But, we better not let our guard down. This thing seems to be bad news,"

"It appears you have forgotten who I truly am," Jabberwock spoke in a calm yet menacing tone. "If that is the case, I shall force you to remember," While he was talking, five police cars, each occupied by four policemen, arrived at Shinzo Academy and lined up in front of it's main gate. Two policemen came out from each of the cars and headed towards Jabberwock. The remaining ones stood behind their vehicles to ensure that no one entered the school. During this time, a crowd of passersby had gathered in front of the school to see what was going on. At the same time, Hatter, March and Drake arrived at the scene. Making their way through the crowd, the trio approached the police officers on standby and asked them about the current situation.

"Hey, officer, you mind telling me what's going on here?" Hatter asked one of the policemen.

"A monster's attacking the school," replied the officer. "That's what we've been told,"

"A monster? You gotta be kidding me. Let me see this," Hatter stepped to the side but, was stopped by the policeman.

"I'm sorry, but, you can't go in there. There's no telling what will happen if you do,"

"Whaddaya mean I can't? I got friends in there, pal. Let me in," As the policemen on standby did their jobs, the eight others that entered the school compound were facing Jabberwock. Everyone at Shinzo Academy especially Jack's group watched as the police officers aimed their guns at Jabberwock.

"Don't move! Put your hands up into the air!" shouted the leader of the officers. Slowly, Jabberwock turned around and looked at the eight policemen. His appearance instilled caution, leading to them backing away a little. Nevertheless, the officers maintained their positions.

"I have no business with mere mortals," Jabberwock said to the police officers. "Leave,"

"We can't do that!" said another one of the policemen. "Step away from those people behind you and do as you're told!"

"It is best that you leave this place," Mr. Shiro called out to the officers. "This is not a matter that the police can handle,"

"I'm afraid we can't do that," replied the officers' leader. "The safety of the citizens is our topmost priority,"

"You don't understand," Alice stated. "What you're facing is not human. You will die if you fight him!"

"Just get to safety!" A third officer said to Jack's group. "Leave the rest to us!"

"I thought I asked for you to leave. But, since you insist on staying…" Jabberwock lifted one hand up, enveloping it with dark colored flames. "…I shall make you,"

"Wait! Don't do it-" Just as Jack spoke, Jabberwock threw a fireball towards the ground where the policemen stood. To the shock of Jack's group and those inside the school building, the eight policemen were sent flying towards the main gate. They crashed into their cars' front windows, shocking the passersby as well as Hatter and his two friends. Witnessing this, four of the policemen on standby instructed the bystanders to back away from the scene. The other half attended to their comrades, now unconscious, with one of them calling for an ambulance.

"What is going on here?" asked a concerned March.

"Let's go inside!" At Drake's request, he, Hatter and March rushed into the school compound despite being called out by a police man to do otherwise. Arriving there, the three boys faced Jabberwock who was about to bring his attention back to Jack's group. The trio were surprised upon seeing him along with Jack and his friends.

"God****!" Hatter exclaimed. "Whatchu doing here with your girls, Jack?"

"Hatter?!" It was Thumbelina's turn to exclaim. "Why are you here?"

"That's what I'm asking you, Thumby. We just saw something fly towards your side and here we are!"

"You need to get out of here. It's not safe!" warned Red Riding Hood.

"Why? Cuz we're seeing something right out of "Scary Movie" in front of us this second?"

"What?" Jack and the Blood Maidens gave Hatter a blank look.

"Nothing. I mean just what the h*** is going on here?!"

"Silence!" Jabberwock boomed. His voice was so loud that it sent a wave of unease over those around him, mainly the policemen at the main gate and the students and teachers inside the school. Turning his attention to Hatter's side, Jabberwock added menacingly, "Who are you? What business do you have here? Leave at once!"

"I do not know what you are," March spoke in a calm and serious tone. "But, clearly, you are quite the hostile one,"

"So, you will not leave," Jabberwock stepped forward. "In that case, you shall perish here!" Hatter and his companions braced themselves as Jabberwock was about to lunge towards them. Right when he was about to do so, Jabberwock found that he could not move. Mr. Shiro had rushed towards the draconic being and held him in place with an arm hold from behind.

"What are you doing?" a bewildered Jabberwock struggled to free himself. "Let go of me!"

"Not on my watch. I will not allow you to take any lives," While wrestling with Jabberwock, Mr. Shiro said, "Jack, go with the rest of us into the school and get the people inside there away from here. I will deal with Jabberwock,"

"What do you mean you'll deal with him?" Red Riding Hood got surprised. "You can't possibly fight him alone!"

"This is not a fight that you can handle!" Mr. Shiro gave a fast reply. "The lives of those around us as well as yours are more important. Now, go!"

"Meddlesome fool! I shall deal with you this moment!" All of a sudden, wings sprouted out from behind Jabberwock's back. Everyone soon saw Jabberwock flying up into the air with Mr. Shiro still holding onto him. The duo were then seen disappearing into the school rooftop.

"Did you guys see that?" Hatter exclaimed while his group joined Jack's. "That thing just took off with Mr. Shiro!"

"This is bad! What should we do?" a worried Snow White said.

"As much as I'm worried about Mr. Shiro, our top priority is the students," Alice stated. "There's no telling what further harm would befall them should they remain here,"

"Alright, then. As soon as we get everyone out of the school, we'll get back to Mr. Shiro. All in agreement with that?" Jack and the other Blood Maidens nodded in agreement with Red Riding Hood's plan.

"I don't know what's going on but, we'll help you in whatever you're doing," Drake said to Jack and his company.

"Thanks, we appreciate it. Come on!" At Jack's words, the group ran into Shinzo Academy. Meanwhile, on the rooftop, Jabberwock had knocked Mr. Shiro away, causing the man to move backwards a few feet away from the entity. Standing in front of his adversary, Mr. Shiro pointed his gun at Jabberwock.

"Why do you interfere with my purpose? Do you seek death by my hand?"

"On the contrary, I do not intend on dying," Mr. Shiro answered Jabberwock. "Rather, I aim to put an end to your intention of killing Jack and his friends,"

"For you to speak like that, you must be foolish," Jabberwock said mockingly. "Or are you implying that you are no ordinary human being?"

"What if I told you that was the case?" Mr. Shiro lowered his weapon.

"What?" A hint of surprise surfaced within Jabberwock's voice.

"I never intended on doing this. However, given the situation, it appears I have no choice," Taking his glasses off, Mr. Shiro kept them under his coat. He then tossed his gun aside and looked at Jabberwock intently. A white aura began enveloping Mr. Shiro's whole self. Within seconds, at where Mr. Shiro was, a white humanoid being bearing rabbit-esque features and red eyes with black slit shaped pupils stood in his place.

"You… That form!" Jabberwock pointed out in shock. "What are you?!"

"I am the White Rabbit," Mr. Shiro, having transformed into a different form, said. "Jabberwock, by my life and my soul, you shall not harm the living,"

"Interesting," A smirk crept across Jabberwock's face. "Very well. I will destroy you first. Then, I shall kill the cursed ones!"

Back at Jack and his friends' side, the group stood by the main gate, directing the students and teachers out of the school. At one side of the gate was Hatter, March, Drake, Jack, Alice, Red Riding Hood and Rapunzel. On the other end was Cinderella, Thumbelina, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Kaguya, Gretel and Hameln. While the innocent people ran out of the school compound, everyone in Jack's group repeatedly told them to be careful and not to panic.

"Everyone! Stay calm and be sure not to hurt yourselves!" Red Riding Hood called out.

"Be careful not to push each other, everyone!" said Snow White.

In the middle of watching over the students, Alice noticed something among the crowd. "Jack, do you see Hinata?"

"I don't see him, Alice. Why?"

"I was looking at all the students here and I do not see any trace of him. The same goes for the delinquents that harassed him,"

"Are you sure?" Jack asked. "There's a whole lot of people here. Maybe he's among the crowd,"

"Even still, we should be able to at least catch a glimpse of him with this many students," Alice started to be worried. "Do you think…?"

"Oh, no," A grim realization dawned upon Jack. "We got to get back into the school!"

Inside Shinzo Academy, Ichijo's gang were climbing up the stairs on each floor. During the chaos that previously ensued, they had snuck out from the assembly hall and witnessed the events that unfolded up until now. This led to them heading for the rooftop in order to satiate their curiosity on the current occurrences. Now in front of the staircase to the roof, located in the center of the third floor, Ichijo's group was about to climb it when a voice called out to them.

"What are you doing?" Ichijo's gang turned their heads sideways and saw Hinata coming towards them. The latter had been tailing them quietly after noticing their absence in the assembly hall.

"Huh? The first year?" Ichijo asked. "What are you doing here?"

"It's not safe here. You need to leave," Hinata advised.

"Who are you to tell us that?" said Sanji curtly. "You should be the one to leave. And what we do is none of your business,"

"What are you saying?! Don't you understand what's going on? We need to go now!"

"Now, listen here, first year," Nijima stood menacingly in front of Hinata. "We're already done with you especially after our run-in with your friends that day. So, why don't you do yourself a favor and get out?"

"No. And my name is not "first year". It's Hinata!" Hinata protested.

"Hinata!" Hinata turned around and saw Jack and the Blood Maidens running towards him.

"Not you all again!" Sanji yelled at Jack and the girls. "What do you want this time?!"

"We just want all of you to get out of the school now," replied Thumbelina. "That's all,"

"Well, your pal told us the same thing but, we're not moving so, beat it," said Gotou.

"Still having a sharp tongue I see," Kaguya commented. "Even after turning over a new leaf by acting as model students,"

"W-What's it to you?" Ichijo asked with slight embarassment.

"This is no time for small talk," Alice addressed everyone firmly. "We must get out of the school immediately," Suddenly, a loud sound was heard from above, catching the group's attention.

"What was that?" Cinderella asked.

"It came from upstairs. Let's check it out!" Quickly, Red Riding Hood headed for the stairs with Jack and the other Blood Maidens in tow.

"Hey, wait!" Hinata ran after Jack's group. Ichijo and his friends even followed him from behind. On the roof, a fierce battle between Mr. Shiro, the White Rabbit, and Jabberwock was underway. The White Rabbit moved around his opponent swiftly and attacked Jabberwock from all directions. In response, Jabberwock blocked his attacks all while shooting fireballs out of his hand. Swiftly, the White Rabbit deflected them towards the sky using his hands. The people at the school compound watched two of them explode in the sky above them.

"What the h*** is happening here?" Hatter wondered upon watching the explosions. Back at the rooftop, the White Rabbit and Jabberwock grabbed each other's' palms and started pushing one another. Their strength was such that the ground beneath their feet began to crack.

"What happened to Towa Kadowaki?" the White Rabbit demanded.

"Towa? That fool of a human?" Jabberwock put on a cruel grin. "He has been reborn into an entity of destruction which is I,"

"What do you mean by that?"

"I goaded him into accepting my power. Once he did, I took over his body and turned into the form that you are currently seeing at this moment,"

"How can this be?" White Rabbit responded in disbelief. "He was a strong man. Towa could not have possibly fell for any trickery that you used,"

"Do you really think that?" As Jabberwock spoke, the door of the rooftop's shed opened, revealing Jack, the Blood Maidens, Hinata and Ichijo's gang.

"Ah! Prey over there!" Rapunzel pointed at the White Rabbit and Jabberwock, who were a short distance ahead of the group.

"What is that?" Alice stared at the White Rabbit, who noticed Jack and his companions.

"What are you doing here?" a surprised White Rabbit said to the group. "You must get away from this place!" Seeing Jack's group, Jabberwock pushed himself away from his enemy to which the latter responded by backing away from the former.

"So, the cursed beings have come," Jabberwock then spoke, eyes on Jack and the Blood Maidens. "If you have come to face me, it's pointless. You should offer your lives to me without resistance,"

"How bold of you to say that! What makes you believe we will not put up a fight?!" Hameln retorted.

"Perhaps, I should show you," Jabberwock stood still. On his chest, what appeared to be a man's face, his eyes closed as if in sleep, emerged out of it. At that moment, Jack and the Blood Maidens became incredibly shocked.

"Is that… Mr. Kadowaki?" asked Alice.

"What is the meaning of this?" Cinderella said, astounded. With Towa's face still on his chest, Jabberwock began to tell a story.

"For a long time, we Marchens were slain by the likes of you. Our tormented souls were unable to rest in peace and eventually accumulated within the confines of the Jail. Yes. We dwelled deep within it waiting for a time where we could be released onto the light of day,"

"Would I be correct to say that what you resided in was a Core of the Jail itself?"

"Precisely," Jabberwock replied to Gretel's enquiry. "Unfortunately, we were unable to manifest ourselves into a physical form. In order to do so, we required a body. Because we were shut off from our confines, we had to wait for one,"

"And finally, after having waited for what seemed to be an eternity, our wish became a reality. That's right. It was the moment that you humans found us that we found the perfect vessel for us to acquire,"

"W-What's this thing talking about?" a confused Nijima said.

"And that vessel is Towa himself I presume," said the White Rabbit to Jabberwock.

"Correct! He was the perfect host! The man you call as Towa Kadowaki though strong on the outside, possessed his own inner demons. I took a hold of them and manipulated him into taking in my powers. Hence, we turned into this form,"

"But, why, Towa?" questioned Red Riding Hood. "Why did you have to take him?"

"As I have mentioned, it is because of his inner demons. Throughout his life, he relived the nightmare of his parents being killed by my kind over and over. All I did was tempt him with one thing-Had he been stronger, his parents and all those close to him would never have to die. I offered him my strength and he accepted it," Jabberwock seemed proud of his words.

"You're lying!" Jack said in disapproval. "It's true that Mr. Kadowaki had his problems. But, he would never have let himself taken in by you!"

"Yet, he did," Jabberwock gave a malicious grin. "Such is the weakness of man. All it takes is to exploit their vulnerabilities and they can be easily enticed,"

"That explains Mr. Kadowaki's recent behavior," Alice said, her face having a serious expression. "You were pulling the strings all along by urging him to accept your offer one way or another. Is that correct?"

"Indeed," smiled Jabberwock. "He resisted my calls until the very end. Unfortunately, by doing so, he was only repressing his true desire-His desire for power. When the time came, I gave him a push and he succumbed to his wish,"

"I don't know what you're getting at entirely but, we're not going to let you get away for taking Towa from us!" Red Riding Hood said to Jabberwock. "We'll beat you and save him!"

"I believe I have mentioned that is pointless,"

"What do you mean?" asked Alice.

"The life of this man is bound to mine," Jabberwock placed a hand next to Towa's face. "Defeat me and his life shall be extinguished as well. And if you think that you can rescue him from my clutches, it is too late. He will forever remain in slumber so long as I stand. Your only option is to concede and allow your lives to be ended by my own hands,"

"No way…" Thumbelina was perplexed. "We can't do anything?"

"That is right," Jabberwock sneered. "Can you possibly kill an enemy at the expense of a friend's life?" At this, Jack and the Blood Maidens fell silent. They had faced difficult situations during their time in the Jail but, this was unexpected. In front of them was an enemy they had to fight but, at the same time, Towa's life was on the line. With seemingly no solution to their problem, the youths felt conflicted on what they should do-End Jabberwock's life at the expense of Towa's or attempt what would be a futile effort in bringing Towa back to them.

Whatever happens next, a choice has to be made.


	9. Chapter 8

The students and teachers of Shinzo Academy are assembled a short distance away from the main gate, most of their faces looking anxious. All of them were trying to comprehend the events that developed until now. It was no surprise for them to feel this way especially since they did see Jack and the Blood Maidens, whom they thought were ordinary youths, battling a horde of monsters at their school. Watching the school building, all hoped that nothing worse would happen.

In between the main gate and the crowd of people, the police cars that arrived previously remained at their spot. The police officers who were injured by Jabberwock were sent to the town hospital. The remaining ones lined up in front of the main gate waiting for backup while preventing any civilians from entering the school compound. Hatter, March and Drake were facing the line of policemen with the first of the trio trying to convince the officers to let them in. Earlier, they stayed by the main gate to guide any remaining people out of the school after Jack and the Blood Maidens left to search for Hinata inside it.

"I'm telling you, man, you gotta let us in. There're still some people inside that school and we need to get them out of there!"

"As I have said, you cannot go in there. Please remain here until our backup arrives," A police officer calmly replied to Hatter's demands.

"What do you mean "until our backup arrives?!" Hatter shot back in disbelief. "You got people inside that building and you just stand around here waiting for your pals to come? Are you out of your mind?!"

"Like I said, you need to remain here-"

"Don't gimme that crap, man," Hatter cut off the officer. "Who's your superior? I wanna talk to him right this moment!"

"Excuse me," A voice came from behind Hatter and his friends. Four individuals dressed in black uniforms, who had arrived at the scene and made their way through the crowd of innocent people, approached the policemen guarding the main gate and stood next to Hatter's group. They were a man with a rough appearance, a bespectacled fair skinned woman, a short young girl and a boy with blue unkempt hair. Seeing the newcomers, the students murmured amongst themselves.

"Is this Shinzo Academy?" the rough looking man asked the police officers.

"Yes, it is. Who are you, sir? We ask that you stand back and not attempt to enter the school," said one of the officers.

"We are members of the Dawn, an organization working alongside the National Defense Bureau," the woman responded to the officer. "We have reason to believe that an unusual occurrence is taking place at this town and have come to investigate,"

"The National Defense Bureau?" another officer said. "What business does the government have in this?"

"More importantly, we've come to lead all of you to safety," stated the gruff man. "It's not safe here and you should leave the rest to us,"

"Leave the rest to you?" Hatter stared at the man. "Look, old man, I dunno who you are but, there are still people inside that building! We can't be standing here leaving them alone!"

"Hatter's right. We're not leaving until Jack and the girls come back to us,"

"Wait, do you know Jack?" the blue haired boy turned intrigued at Drake's statement.

"We are his friends. Aside from that, may I know who you all are?" asked March.

"We're friends of Jack's as well. Don't worry, we're not going to leave anyone behind. Come with us. We need to get everyone to a safer place,"

* * *

Up on Shinzo Academy's roof, Jack and the Blood Maidens are in a conundrum. All of them were contemplating on how to save Towa without having to destroy Jabberwock entirely. Unfortunately, they remained silent as neither of them were able to come up with any solution. As the air around those on the roof remained still, all Hinata and Ichijo's gang along with the White Rabbit could do was stand and watch.

"You cannot possibly forsake the life of a friend in peril, can you?" Jabberwock, with Towa's face still on his chest, mocked Jack and the Blood Maidens. "All you can do is offer your lives to me as penance for killing my kind,"

"Do not be disheartened!" the White Rabbit caught Jack and the girls' attention with his words. "Remember. Anything is possible. That is what I have mentioned once to all of you,"

"Once?" Jack said, confused. "Have we met before?"

"I've been meaning to ask," Alice said to the White Rabbit. "Who or what are you? You seem to know about us even though we've never met,"

"I will explain later. For now, let us retreat. At our current rate, it is unwise to fight Jabberwock head on,"

"So, you choose to run with your tail in between your legs?" As Jabberwock spoke, Towa's face disappeared into his chest. Conjuring a fireball in his hand, he added, "I will not allow that!" Everyone braced themselves as the entity prepared to hurl it towards Jack and the Blood Maidens. Right when Jabberwock was about to launch his attack, a voice from above stopped him.

"Please stop," A figure came down from the sky, landing in front of Jack's group and facing Jabberwock. It was a young girl with long pink hair bearing a pair of angelic wings on her back. Dressed in a white robe, she exuded a radiant and divine presence. Upon seeing the angelic figure, Jack and the Blood Maidens immediately recognized her. She was the angelic being who helped them to defeat the Snark and brought the humans trapped in the Jail back to the surface world.

"You're…!" Jack exclaimed.

"It has been a while, my friends," the angelic girl greeted Jack and the Blood Maidens.

"W-W-Who is this?" Sanji stammered as he alongside his friends and Hinata were stupefied at the sudden arrival of an angel.

"Another one dares to interfere with me?" an irritated Jabberwock said. ""Who are you?!"

"I am Arika," the angelic girl replied. "I have come to stop you from harming the lives of the people,"

"How much more interference must I face before I can achieve my goal? So, be it. If that is the case, I shall do this!" Jabberwock began accumulating dark energy inside his hands. Seeing this, Arika spoke to Jack's group hastily.

"Everyone, we shall escape immediately. Gather around me quickly!"

"W-What for?" asked a hesitant Gotou.

"There is no time! Hurry!" Wasting no time, Jack and his company huddled around Arika. The latter began to conjure a white sphere which enveloped the whole group including herself. The sphere lifted everyone up into the air to the astonishment of Hinata and Ichijo's gang. Within seconds, Jack's group flew off and was about to pass the parapet at the front of the school building.

"You shall not escape!" Jabberwock slammed his hands into the ground causing multiple black tendrils to emerge at a rapid speed out of the ground. Some of them were about to grab onto the sphere containing Arika and her companions. Fortunately, the White Rabbit jumped at the tendrils and chopped them down in the nick of time. Landing on the ground, the White Rabbit headed for the parapet and jumped off the rooftop.

With Jabberwock having failed to capture Arika's group, the latter were able to escape the roof safely. They began descending down onto the area facing the main gate which was now empty. Arriving there, Arika removed the sphere that carried the group. It was then that she started to have a strained expression on her face much to Jack and the Blood Maidens' concern.

"Hey, are you alright?" Red Riding Hood asked Arika.

"I'm fine. It's just that I've used too much of my powers at the moment," When Arika finished speaking, Mr. Shiro ran from the school yard and joined everyone.

"Is everyone alright?" Mr. Shiro asked with concern.

"Mr. Shiro! Where have you been?" Hinata said.

"That will need to wait. Right now, there is a more serious matter at hand," Mr. Shiro turned around to look at the school. Joining him, the group was shocked to find that the whole of Shinzo Academy was being engulfed by black tendrils, the same ones Jabberwock summoned. The tendrils wrapped themselves on each and every part of the school, slowly obscuring all parts of it.

"What's happening to our school?!" Ichijo's eyes widened at the sight of the school.

"Hey, you guys!" From the western road, four individuals in black uniforms came running to the group. When the group's eyes met theirs, Jack and the Blood Maidens recognized the people as their friends from the Dawn.

"Haru, Miko!" Red Riding Hood said in surprise. "And Clara and Major too!"

"When did you get here?" Thumbelina asked Haru and his companions.

"Just now," replied Haru. "We've sent the students and teachers to the town square. And also-" Haru paused upon looking at Shinzo Academy. "What's going on here?" Everyone watched as the school, now covered by the tendrils, slowly transformed into a different structure. What was once the school was now a seemingly organic edifice, it's surface containing spaces which emitted an eerie pinkish light. The building's entrance changed into a different form resembling that of a mouth.

"No way…" Alice's eyes were wide open in disbelief. As the group stared at the alien edifice, one thing was clear to them.

Shinzo Academy was no more.

* * *

In the sky above Wonder Ville, the sun shone bright signaling the arrival of afternoon. A convoy of police cars are headed to Shinzo Academy. In the meantime, the students and teachers of Shinzo Academy huddled themselves in the middle of the town roundabout after they were sent there by Haru and his team. Hatter, March and Drake stood together with the crowd after parking their truck near the north road. Watching over the people are the policemen from earlier whose cars are now lined up at the west road's entrance.

A moment later, a few of Jack and the Blood Maidens' classmates together with Hatter's group noticed Jack and his friends coming from the west road. As Jack's group went round the police cars facing the said road, the students ran towards them with Hatter and his two friends in the lead.

"Yo, Jack! Girls! You're all right! Thank G-" Right when Hatter's group met Jack's, he became surprised and awestruck at the presence of Arika. "GOOD G** HAVE MERCY!" Jack and his company stared as Hatter nearly lost his balance. "It's an angel! I have died and gone to heaven!" With mesmerized eyes, Hatter kneeled in front of Arika. Holding her hands, he said "Tell me, beautiful angel, what is your name?" At the sight of Hatter's behavior, Thumbelina, who was standing near him, twisted his ear.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow! What was that for, Thumby?!" Hatter got onto his feet and looked at Thumbelina.

"Have you no shame approaching a girl and seducing her right out of the blue?" Thumbelina motioned her hand to Arika.

"I ain't seducing nobody, Thumby. Besides, did Halloween come early this year or something? First, we saw something out of a B-grade horror movie and now we've got an angel paying planet Earth a visit!" While Hatter was speaking, the students behind him flocked around Jack and the Blood Maidens as well as Arika. They began bombarding them with questions on the current situation and Arika's appearance. It took Haru and Miko to step in and calm the students down. As the two did their job, Major and Clara quickly moved Jack, the Blood Maidens and Arika away from their questioners. Hatter's trio along with Ichijo's gang then followed Jack and his company.

"Listen you first years," Ichijo said to Jack and the Blood Maidens. "Who exactly are you all? We saw you fighting those monsters as if they were nothing. Have you fought those things before?"

"We will tell you everything that you wish to know," Alice said to Ichijo. "For now, let's head elsewhere. This place is not suitable for us to explain everything,"

* * *

Jack and the Blood Maidens are currently in their house standing behind one of the sofas in the lounge. At the sofa in front of them sat Mr. Shiro, his laptop on the table. On Mr. Shiro's left and right, Major and Clara as well as Hatter's trio sat on one sofa each. Hinata stood in between the sofas in which Mr. Shiro and Hatter's band are sitting in. Behind Hatter and his friends were Ichijo's gang. As for Arika, she stood in front of the table, facing everyone in the lounge. Haru and Miko are not present as they have gone to the police station to explain the happenings at Shinzo Academy.

"It appears everyone is here," Arika stated.

"In that case, let's make this as quick as possible," Alice said. "We need to get back to the school,"

"We're not going anywhere until you tell us what's going on," Hatter's face was serious. "What really happened at school today?"

"And the monsters that were at our school," Yoshikawa said to Jack's side. "What are they?"

"Do you really wish to know?" Despite speaking with her usual deadpan expression, Gretel's voice concealed a tone of caution. "If you do, we will have to start from the very beginning. On top of that, the things that you desire to learn may be something far beyond what most of us in this room can comprehend,"

"What do you mean by that?" asked Nijima.

"To begin with," Alice brought her attention to Hatter's side. "Are you aware of a disaster that occurred in Japan fifteen years ago?"

"Are you talking about the incident where a city fell underground and got covered up by an unknown object?" enquired Hinata.

"That is correct, Hinata," Alice replied.

"I have heard about it ever since I was a child," March gestured to Hatter and Drake. "And so have the both of them,"

"We know about it too," Sanji said. "Why are you bringing that up?"

"Because it is from that disaster that everything began," Mr. Shiro answered Sanji's question.

"Can you please explain what you mean, Mr. Shiro?" Drake brought himself forward.

"I will do that," At Alice's words, she started detailing to Hatter's side about the things pertaining to the Jail-Of how the humans suffered imprisonment and torture inside it as well as the ordeals Alice and her friends underwent in order to escape the Jail. Alice also brought everyone up to date on the events that took place previously. When Alice finished her story, the faces of those at Hatter's side showed a combination of surprise and incredulity.

"You mean to tell us that all of you were caught in that disaster?" Hinata, his eyes wide open, asked Jack and the Blood Maidens.

"That's right," Alice looked as if she was recalling the past. "For fifteen years, we lived and fought in that living prison. For as long as we could remember, our lives revolved around nothing but, that,"

"So, let me get this straight," Hatter said to Jack's side. "You fellas basically escaped a living h***hole filled with a bunch of creatures giving people some S & M. That it?"

"Pretty much, yeah…" Red Riding Hood frowned due to not knowing the meaning of "S & M".

"What kind of bulls*** is that?" Sounding disbelieved, Hatter turned sideways and then brought his attention back to Jack and the Blood Maidens. Extending one hand forward, he said, "Were those things trying to run a red light district underground?"

"Red light district?" Rapunzel turned curious.

"I mean, what kind of cruel fate led you pretty girls to fight those Marchens? Or whatever they are. I've heard of kids going to war but, that's some really messed up s*** you all went through there,"

"I wouldn't say it was fate. Rather, it was our destiny," said Gretel.

"Why do you say that?" asked March.

"To be honest, we aren't exactly human ourselves," Red Riding Hood had a look of unease. "The truth is we were brought to life into this world out of the fairy tales you know of. That's why we're named after them. At one point, we learnt that we were born from the very same monsters we've been fighting. We also realized that we were born to put an end to the Jail,"

"Simply put, you can say that we're the same as the Marchens themselves," Everyone at Hatter's side as well as Hinata were at a loss for words. Jack and the rest of the Blood Maidens turned quiet, their faces showing the same uneasiness that Red Riding Hood had.

"Hold on a second," Ichijo broke the silence. "If you all already fought those Marchens in this Jail you're talking about, then, why did they show up at our school? Didn't you kill all of them already?"

"About that, the answer is inside here," Mr. Shiro moved towards his laptop and opened a video file in it. He then turned the laptop a little to the right so that it's screen faced those from Jack's side to Hatter's.

"What is that, Mr. Shiro?" Snow White asked as she and her companions' eyes are on the laptop.

"This is a video recording containing footage of the work done by Towa's team," Mr. Shiro replied. "It was taken this morning and sent to me by Haru while all of you were out," Jack and Hatter's groups paid attention to the video, the same one Mr. Shiro viewed prior to him going to Shinzo Academy. They watched Towa's team performing their work in the Underground Cavern.

"There doesn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary," commented Alice.

"You will see," Mr. Shiro said. As Jack and Hatter's side continued watching, they soon saw Towa walking towards the Jail Core as if he was in a trance. Despite being called by his team members to stop, Towa placed his hand on the bulbous object causing black clouds of smoke to erupt from it. The smoke entered into Towa's eyes and mouth causing him to give a long cry of pain. Once it completely went inside Towa, the Core wilted and vanished into nothingness. The next thing the expedition team knew, Towa became enveloped in a black aura, turning him into none other than Jabberwock.

Witnessing this, the members of the expedition team aimed their weapons at Jabberwock, unsure of whether to open fire or not. From out of his body, Jabberwock unleashed a mighty shockwave which knocked out the entire team. When that happened, the video ended with a static screen. A look of utter shock emerged on the faces of everyone who watched the video, especially Jack and the Blood Maidens. Snow White in particular, was so taken aback that she covered her mouth with both her hands.

"My, this is quite the unexpected development," Gretel remarked with raised eyebrows.

"Was this what Jabberwock meant when he said he took Towa?" Jack asked.

"That is correct," Closing his laptop, Mr. Shiro got out of his seat. "The Dawn had tracked down Towa's signal to Wonder Ville. Hence, it was evident that Jabberwock was heading to this town," Speaking with Jack's side, Mr. Shiro walked around the table and stopped next to Arika. "I rushed to your school with the intention to get all of you out and prepare for his coming. However, Jabberwock arrived faster than I anticipated and as you all know, he attacked the school leading to the things that eventuated up until now,"

"That aside, how did Haru arrive here with Miko, Major and Clara?" asked Thumbelina.

"When we got the news, we made preparations to come here as fast as we could," answered Major. "We were about to go there by truck when Arika flew to our side telling us she sensed something evil in this town. She used her powers to transport our truck, with us inside, all the way here. Once we arrived, we headed for your school under Arika's guidance and took the people there to safety. While we did, Arika went to get all of you away from there and here you are,"

"I never imagined that she possessed such capabilities," Kaguya was slightly impressed. "Was Arika not a newly born being whose powers were yet to be fully awakened?"

"That is true. However, my powers have been growing steadily ever since we last parted. This is why I was able to perform what Major explained about," Arika gave a troubled expression. "Unfortunately, having done that, most of my powers have been drained. There is no telling how much more of it would be left should I exert myself further,"

"Speaking of which, I don't get why that Jabberwock thing came all the way to this town," Clara mentioned.

"Now that you mention it, he spoke of enacting revenge against us for killing his kind," Cinderella said.

"That is true. From what has happened so far, it can be concluded that our enemy is bent on eliminating us. So much so that it endangered the school we're studying in as well as the lives of the students there," Gretel stated.

"Are you saying all this is happening because of us?" Thumbelina became worried.

"If you connect the dots, that is highly likely to be the case,"

"I've been meaning to ask," Hinata gazed at Jack and the Blood Maidens. "Why didn't you tell us about who you really were before?"

"It's because we were afraid to do so. You see, we decided to keep the truth about ourselves a secret. It was so that we could live peacefully without having to attract unnecessary attention. As selfish as it sounds, we thought that was for the best," After answering Hinata, Alice displayed an apologetic exterior.

"Given what happened so far though, I'm afraid we've caused trouble for not only our school but, also, this town as well. I know this is inappropriate but, I apologize for not telling you the truth. Even if we did, you may not believe us," Silence filled the lounge. Jack and the rest of the Blood Maidens, save Gretel, shared Alice's feelings. Gretel wore a neutral expression, hiding her anticipation of the next words that would be uttered by those around her.

"Who cares about that?" Ichijo said, his words forthright.

"Huh?" Surprised, Alice raised her eyebrows.

"We don't care where you all came from nor do we give a d*** about who or what you are. Tell us one thing-How do we get our school back to normal?"

"The most likely solution to our situation is to defeat Jabberwock himself," Mr. Shiro stated. "There is even the matter of rescuing Towa from Jabberwock's grasp,"

"Then, what're we waiting for? Let's go," Sanji was raring to leave with his friends.

"As much as I appreciate your offer of assistance, I am afraid you will need to avoid getting involved," Mr. Shiro said to Hatter and those at his side.

"Why not?" a displeased Sanji replied.

"This is not a matter that can be handled by innocent civilians," Mr. Shiro's tone turned stern. "Should you attempt to fight our enemies, chances are, your life will be lost. There is no meaning in throwing away your lives unnecessarily,"

"Then, what are we supposed to do?!" Sanji snapped back. "Sit back and watch?"

"Indeed," Gretel said nonchalantly. "A person such as yourself would clearly die easily from charging into battle,"

"What was that?" Sanji stared at Gretel angrily. "Take back what you said, glasses girl!"

"Watch it! You're being rude!" Thumbelina pointed out to Sanji.

"I wasn't talking to you, midget!" Sanji shot a glance at Thumbelina.

"What?! Why I ought to make you bite the dust right here!" Upset at what Sanji called her, Thumbelina was about to make her way towards him.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold it! Hold it!" Standing up, Hatter raised his hands thus, gaining everyone's attention. "Listen. I think all of us here got a lot on our plates already. Let me say a few things,"

"Jack, girls," Hatter spoke to Jack's side. "It ain't matter who you are or what you are. The important thing here is that you all are your own selves. Who cares if y'all are born from a bunch of monsters that act like S & M freaks? You people rock in your own way,"

"I mean, take Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty over there," Pointing to the two Blood Maidens, Hatter said amusingly, "They're pretty stacked what with them huge a** tities they got there. These big chested beauties can't possibly be monsters, are they?" As Hatter talked, a few of the people around him blinked. Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty's eyebrows were lifted at Hatter's comment on their features. March was trying to hide a grin after hearing Hatter.

"All I wanna say," Hatter continued, his eyes moving across everyone. "Is that no matter what kinda s*** hits the fan, we will have each other's backs. So, no fighting amongst ourselves. We stand together like brother and sister," Hatter's listeners slowly became impressed at his words.

"Long story short, people," Hatter came back to Jack and the Blood Maidens. "We got your back, Jack. Same goes for you girls,"

"Are you sure?" Alice appeared astounded. "But, why go so far for us? Aren't you bothered by the fact that we're not human?"

"Every person has a past," March said with sincerity. "Nevertheless, one should let bygones be bygones. It is what we do now that truly matters. Do you not agree, ladies and gentlemen?" With a smile, March looked around the people next to him.

"Now that I think about it, March's right," Hinata mentioned. "In fact, I remembered-What matters are the things that we do in the present," Shifting his eyes to Kaguya, he said, "Isn't that right, Kaguya?"

"You are correct," Kaguya came to a realization. "I remember that as well," Smiling, she added, "I thank you, Hinata, for reminding me of those words,"

"Don't know what, but, Rapunzel will always like everybody!" a cheerful Rapunzel said.

"That was well said, Hatter!" praised Hameln. "As a certain wise man once said, one for all and all for one!"

"I admit I'm worried about what we should do next especially when it comes to Towa," Jack gave everyone a smile of assurance. "But, so long as we believe, anything is possible,"

"I concur, Jack," Cinderella seconded Jack. "As long as we are together, nothing shall break us apart,"

"You're right," Thumbelina said. "No matter what, we'll plow through anything that stands in our way,"

"Indeed, dear sister. We shall do our best!" With a smile, Snow White nodded in agreement with Thumbelina's words.

"Yup… Yup…" Sleeping Beauty did the same thing as Snow White.

"My, how spirited we all are," a small grin emerged on Gretel's face.

"You said it, Gretel!" Red Riding Hood said enthusiastically. "Hearing Hatter just made me pumped up. Who else here thinks the same?" Jack and the Blood Maidens' words led to everyone else displaying optimism. Seeing this, Alice felt moved.

"Everyone," she then spoke with gratitude. "Thank you. I am truly grateful for your encouraging words,"

"We didn't say much though," Sanji referred to himself and his gang. Feeling a little embarrassed, he said to Thumbelina, "Hey, sorry I called you a midget,"

"Oh? It's a surprise to hear one with such a short fuse speak politely like that," Gretel remarked about Sanji's apology.

"W-What?" Sanji started to blush. "Is there a problem?"

"In any case, I'm through with that now. By the way, what should we do next?" Just as Thumbelina finished speaking, a loud growl resounded through the lounge, slightly startling everyone.

"God****!" Hatter exclaimed while scanning his surroundings. "Whose stomach here rumbling like an earthquake?"

"Crud, that's me," Gotou put one hand on his stomach. "I haven't eaten lunch yet,"

"Come to think of it, we haven't eaten anything since morning classes," Jack stated.

"I got to say that was quite the growl there," Red Riding Hood teasingly grinned at Gotou. "Not even Rappy's growling could beat that,"

"Hey, quit talking about my stomach like that! You all are hungry too!" Gotou tried to hide his embarassment.

"GRAAAOOOR!" Rapunzel let out a loud growl which sounded nearly identical to the rumbling of Gotou's stomach. Hearing this, Hatter burst out laughing.

"That was sick, Rapunzel!" the red headed boy said in between laughs. "Do that again," At Hatter's request, Rapunzel repeated her imitation.

"Hey, stop that! It's embarrassing!" Gotou cried out, his face now flushed. Once more, Rapunzel growled out loud causing Jack and the other Blood Maidens, sans Gretel, to join Hatter in laughter. Gretel watched with a smile as the rest of the people showed amusement, with Gotou's friends trying hard not to laugh. All Gotou could do was repeatedly tell everyone to stop laughing only for his words to fall on deaf ears. As the mirth continued, Mr. Shiro received a call on his hand phone. Excusing himself to the kitchen, he answered it there.

"Hello? Ah, it's you, Haru. What's the situation?" Mr. Shiro was listening to Haru intently. "What? Is that so? Understood. We will meet up with you later," Keeping his hand phone into his coat, Mr. Shiro returned to everyone whom had stopped laughing.

"I do not wish to hasten all of you but, we are to meet up with Haru and Miko at the town center," Mr. Shiro informed everybody.

"What happened, Mr. Shiro?" Alice asked.

"Word has it that the police are closing off the western part of the town and are having the civilians stay in their homes. Concurrently, Haru and Miko requests for us to see them in order to discuss a plan to face our enemy," In a good natured manner, Mr. Shiro added, "But, before that, I believe we should eat first. It is advisable for us to proceed without an empty stomach,"

"That sounds like a plan!" said a keen Red Riding Hood. Turning to Hatter's side, she continued. "Oh, and feel free to join us, you all. We could whip up something real quick for everyone here to eat,"

"You serious? You don't have to you know. We're done with people serving us food especially back in school," Ichijo referred to himself and his gang.

"What are you saying?" Red Riding Hood said with a convincing grin. "Don't be shy. We don't mind having you guys with us. Besides, it's more fun to eat together with a lot more people,"

"You sure about that?" an uncertain Nijima asked.

"Yup!" Rapunzel said with exuberance. Seeing that no one minds them joining the rest for lunch, a smile crept across Ichijo and company's faces.

"Well, if that's what you say guess we can't refuse, right?" As he spoke, Ichijo glanced towards his gang.

"Well then, shall we adjourn to the kitchen?" Cinderella smiled. "I shall cook something nutritious for everyone!"

"Count me in!" Hatter volunteered. "Me and my pals will help ya,"

"I'd say why not," said March as he and Drake got up from their seats.

"Let's go then," said a smiling Jack. "As soon as we're done eating, we'll go see Haru and Miko," With that, everyone, led by Cinderella and Hatter's band, proceeded to the kitchen. Despite having discussed unpleasant matters, they chatted among each other, happy at the thought of spending time together like a group of friends.

* * *

At the center of Wonder Ville, a lot of activity is taking place. Police cars are roaming around all parts of the town save the western area. Using megaphones installed above their vehicles, their drivers are announcing for the townspeople and shopkeepers to stay in their houses and shops respectively. The road to Shinzo Academy had been barricaded by police cars whose occupants have been stationed at various parts of Wonder Ville. Next to the barricade was a black truck with a Dawn emblem imprinted on both sides of it. In front of it were Haru and Miko, accompanied by a police unit wearing black Kevlar vests over their standard attire.

Previously, Haru and Miko had described their situation to the police chief by showing him the video of Towa turning into Jabberwock. The duo even substantiated their facts with footage recorded by the Dawn during their time in the Jail. Convinced of the two's explanations, the chief agreed to cooperate in restoring Shinzo Academy to normal hence, leading to the preparations that are currently underway.

Now, Haru and Miko are awaiting Jack's group to talk about how to approach Shinzo Academy. Minutes later, the two along with the police unit saw Mr. Shiro and Arika, Jack and his friends behind them, approaching from the northern road. As they moved nearer to Haru and Miko's side, the police unit began murmuring among themselves about Arika's presence. Once the group arrived, Mr. Shiro requested for Jack, the Blood Maidens, Arika, Major and Clara to accompany him. The rest were to wait near the middle of the roundabout.

"There you all are," Haru stated. "I take it you've eaten lunch?"

"Yes, we have, Haru," Glancing at the police unit in front of Haru and Miko, Mr. Shiro said, "I see that part of the police force are joining us in this meeting,"

"That's right. We were telling them about Jack and the girls," Haru motioned for Jack and the Blood Maidens to step forward. "Come here and let me introduce them to you,"

"Okay," Jack said. Complying with Haru's request, he and the girls presented themselves to the police unit. The members of the unit, five in total, looked at them intently. Though they appeared composed, they were hiding their surprise from seeing Arika's angelic form.

"Alright, everybody," Haru addressed the police unit. "First of all, I'd like to thank all of you for willing to standby here. We appreciate it. With that being said, let's get to the main point. Our objective is to head inside Shinzo Academy and return it to normal. To do that, we'll have to beat the one responsible for turning the school into what it is now," Miko held out a tablet, showing a still image of Jabberwock to the police unit.

"Our target is this being that you see here," Haru pointed to the tablet. "As I mentioned, we need to defeat it if we're going to bring back the school. However, there's a catch. Our enemy is actually a member of our organization named Towa Kadowaki, who had been taken over by an unknown force. As such, we cannot simply kill him. We are required to rescue Towa while achieving our goal at the same time,"

"How are we to do that?" asked the head of the police unit, codenamed "Leader".

"Unfortunately, we can't think of any way of doing so yet. But, what is for certain is that your unit won't be going into the school alone," Haru gestured to Jack and the Blood Maidens. "These kids here will be assisting you in your mission. They may not look like it but, they're experienced in fighting monsters similar to the one we're talking about,"

"You're asking us to perform the operation with these kids?" another member of the unit, "Card-One", said doubtfully. "Are you trying to risk their lives?"

"We understand that it's hard for you to accept that fact," Bringing her tablet down, Miko spoke to the unit calmly. "However, your chances of completing it will be better when they are by your side. We know this because we have fought alongside them for a long time,"

"With due respect, we can't approve this," a third member of the police unit, "Card-Two", voiced out his skepticism. "The chief may have asked us to help you but, we can't let children be involved. Besides, even if they are to fight with us, how can we be sure that they're as capable as you say they are?"

"I don't think you understand, sir," Alice gave Card-Two a serious look. "Now is not the time to be doubtful. Our main priority is to put an end to this swiftly,"

"But, what can you do?!" the unit's fourth member, "Card-Three", burst out. "We can't just let a bunch of kids fight! It's suicide!"

"Yeah, and what would the townspeople say if they hear about this?" asked the final member of the unit, "Card-Four".

"That's…" Alice could not think of a reply. Seeing that most of the police unit were doubtful of the Blood Maidens, Red Riding Hood decided to step in.

"You know," Red Riding Hood moved forward and faced the unit. Her face was neutral yet exuded firmness. "I can understand if you all don't trust us. We get that sometimes. In fact, I think it's pretty easy for you to say that you don't believe us,"

"What are you talking about?" Card-Three frowned.

"Unlike all of you who've been living normally, we've lived a life of fighting. Every day, we fought and bled to free people from their suffering. We've killed so many times, more than that you could ever imagine. There was even a time where I was forced to kill someone dear to me," A sad look emerged on Red Riding Hood's face.

"Wha?!" Card-Four turned shock.

"To put it simply, we've gone through h***. We cannot put what we've done behind us easily but, that won't stop us from maintaining peace even if we have to fight again," With a serious expression, Red Riding Hood added, "So, if you still think that we're a bunch of kids, that's fine. But, if you are to fight without our help, you may end up not seeing another day. And neither will the townspeople. Are you alright with that?" The whole of the police unit except the leader exchanged uncertain glances. It seemed as if they were affected by Red Riding Hood's words. As for Jack and the other Blood Maidens, they were astounded by her current demeanor.

Once Red Riding Hood finished talking, Arika stood next to her. With a gentle voice, she addressed the police unit. "Everyone, I am certain you're all unsure of what needs to be done. If I may request, do take your time and think about this. When you are ready, return to us and share your decision,"

"Very well. If you may excuse us then," Leader took his teammates aside and discussed with them their mission. Jack and his companions moved to the center of the roundabout and met with the rest of their friends.

"So, how'd it go?" Hinata asked.

"The police didn't seem convinced enough to help us," Thumbelina answered Hatter. "Talk about being helpful,"

"It's no surprise since they're about to deal with something out of the ordinary," Major stated.

"You know I wonder how we're going to explain all of this to everyone in this town." Alice felt worried.

"Don't worry, Alice," Jack assured. "We'll do what we have to do first. As for what happens next, we'll take it as it comes together,"

"Of course. Thank you, Jack," Alice smiled. "Let's do our best,"

"She's right. Anyway, Miko and I will handle the explanations," Haru then spoke to Jack and the Blood Maidens. "More importantly, come with us, your weapons are in the truck. You might want to equip yourselves,"

"Weapons?" Hatter became curious. "Whatchu guys talking about?"

"You'll see. Come and join us," Red Riding Hood invited Hinata, Hatter's band and Ichijo's gang. "We'll show you what we've been using to fight the Marchens,"

"But, I thought you use your hands…" said Ichijo.

"It's true that they are able to fight bare handed," Mr. Shiro referred to Jack and the Blood Maidens. "But, their battle prowess is further enhanced with the weapons they wield,"

"Well, let us go and see these weapons, shall we? I am intrigued as to how they look," March said with interest.

"Alright, then," Turning to look at Clara, Haru called her. "Clara,"

"Yes, Boss! Right away!" Clara rushed to Haru's side. With Miko and Clara next to him, he led everyone to the Dawn's truck in order to prepare them for the battle that is about to come. At this time, most of the townsfolk are already inside their homes. With that, the die is cast. From here, a new battle begins for Jack and his friends-The battle to save Shinzo Academy as well as their comrade.

* * *

Jabberwock was standing in a room containing four blue pillars surrounding him. The draconic entity had transformed Shinzo Academy into a Jail-esque labyrinth bearing resemblance to that of the Underground Cavern. Initially, Jabberwock intended to trap Jack and the Blood Maidens inside it so as to eliminate them. However, his prey had escaped him quickly, leaving him to wait for them inside the labyrinth.

"So, they have slipped past my reach. Very well. I shall bide my time. When the cursed ones return here…" Jabberwock walked towards a pillar. The being then swiped it with his claws leaving a mark on the pillar.

"…I shall crush them under my heel!"


	10. Chapter 9

Most of Wonder Ville's inhabitants live in the residential area. Some of them, being shopkeepers, live in their respective shop lots. Others come from outside town to stay inside rented houses at the residential area. Regardless of where they reside, every day is normal for them-Walking around town, going in and out of it as well as spending time with their close ones.

That normality however, would not last forever. Today, the townspeople, at the police's instructions, stayed within the confines of their homes. Previously, they had witnessed a few things that are out of the ordinary-Jabberwock's arrival at their town, Shinzo Academy's transformation and Arika's presence. In the citizens' minds rang questions about what is happening. Despite their concerns, all they could do was pray that nothing worse happens.

Currently, the streets of Wonder Ville are empty save the police cars that are still on patrol. A few feet away from the Dawn truck, Leader and his unit stood in front of the west road's barricade, discussing the mission to enter Shinzo Academy. Next to the truck, Jack and the Blood Maidens, now armed with their weapons, were with their friends. While waiting for the police unit to finish their discussion, they chatted with each other.

"D***, Red, I know you and yo gals are something but, I never thought you actually wielded a pair of huge a** scissors," Hatter, whose group was in between Jack's group and Ichijo's gang, commented on Red Riding Hood's weapon. "No wonder they call you Red Riding Hood,"

"I know right?" Red Riding Hood grinned. "The truth is I got them as a present for my tenth birthday,"

"What?!" Hinata, who was next to Hatter's trio, exclaimed. "You're kidding, right? Isn't that dangerous?" Even Ichijo's gang shared Hinata's surprise.

"If that's what you think, you clearly haven't seen your fair share of danger. The girls are way more dangerous when they fight with those weapons," Arms crossed, Haru leaned against the side of the truck. With him were the rest of his team and Arika. Mr. Shiro was next to Haru's side, standing in the middle of the driver's compartment and Jack's group.

"I must say these weapons are quite magnificent," March gazed at the Blood Maidens' weapons admiringly. "Not only are they unique to each of their owners but, their colors, combined with their designs, form a picturesque image. Truly, a fine example of craftsmanship,"

"Indeed!" Hameln agreed. "I am impressed that you have an eye for the specivics-" Clearing her throat, she added, "Specifics,"

"By the way, Kaguya, why does your weapon look like a floating chair?" Drake eyed Kaguya's weapon, Bamboo No. 1, on which the latter is seated.

"It is because my weapon serves as a vehicle which enables me to maneuver around enemies swiftly," Smiling proudly, Kaguya said, "On top of that, it is pretty comfortable,"

"That's what Princess Lazy says but, the truth is she uses it mostly to laze around," Thumbelina stated. "In fact, she never leaves her seat not even once. I still remember how much of a pain it was to make her leave it behind when we started adapting to the surface…"

"You serious?" asked an amazed Sanji. "How can she still be thin even after not getting out of that thing for so long?!"

"Such is the wonders of being a Blood Maiden," With a small grin, Gretel continued, "Apart from that, Kaguya's measurements are rather splendid despite her appearance,"

"Please do not mention anything about that…" Feeling uncomfortable over Gretel's statement, Kaguya blushed.

"You must have some crazy a** metabolism in dat body of yours, Kaguya," Hatter shook his head. "I can't imagine anyone being slim like you after sitting still for so long. Especially if they eat too much McDonalds or Taco Bell,"

"Honestly, I can't get what you say at times, Hatter," Thumbelina frowned.

"By the way, Mr. Haru, Snow White wants to ask-Does Michiru and Hitsuka know about what's happening here?" Snow White said to Haru.

"We did tell them along the way here. This sounds obvious but, Arika thought that it wasn't a good idea to bring those two here. Right now, they're praying for our safety,"

"I see. Snow White is happy to hear that they are supporting us even while they're not here," a smiling Snow White said.

"Yup… Yup…" In agreement with Snow White's words, Sleeping Beauty nodded her head.

"Putting that aside, how are we to save Mr. Kadowaki?" Alice asked the Dawn members. "Do we have a plan to do so?"

"Most likely, we will need to separate him from the evil force that possessed his body," Mr. Shiro answered Alice. "The problem is how we are to do it,"

"If that is the case, I can do that," Arika stated.

"You can?" a surprised Thumbelina spoke as she, Jack and the other Blood Maidens had their attention on Arika.

"Yes. With my powers, I can remove Jabberwock from Towa's body. By doing so, we can destroy him without having to harm your friend," A worried expression emerged on Arika's face. "Unfortunately, as I've expended most of my powers, the chances of this working are slim. There is no guarantee that things will work out well,"

"What!" Thumbelina became flabbergasted. "How are we going to save Towa then?"

"Calm down, Thumbelina," Alice said with composure. "Even if the probability of success is low, at least we know there is a plan to rescue Mr. Kadowaki,"

"She's right," agreed Red Riding Hood. "It doesn't matter what our chances are like. We just have to try it,"

"It will not be an easy task though," Mr. Shiro pushed his spectacles up. "Our enemy appears to be quite formidable. In rescuing Towa, we will need to exercise caution,"

"Oh? You sound as if you know about our opponent," Gretel noted. "Even when you haven't faced him,"

"That was only my opinion given the events that transpired until now," replied Mr. Shiro.

"Excuse me," The police unit, led by Leader, walked over to Mr. Shiro's side. "We'd like to inform all of you that our decision has been reached," Leader spoke to Jack and the Blood Maidens. "We'll help you. But, under one condition,"

"Condition?" a curious Jack said.

"My unit will assist you to the best of our abilities. However, should this mission become too dangerous to handle, we will have to abort it and evacuate everyone out of the town. I have spoken to the chief and he has approved this,"

"Wait, first you're uncertain about helping us and now, you want us to leave this town by itself if things go wrong?" Thumbelina questioned Leader.

"As much as it pains me to say this, I'm afraid that's the case," Leader's voice though serious had a hint of concern in it.

"Then, we'll make sure to complete this mission without letting that happen," With assurance, Red Riding Hood said to her kin, "As long as we're together, we can do anything!"

"Always the spirited one, Red Riding Hood," Haru gave a small chuckle. "Anyway, let's go through the plan in facing Jabberwock. Once we're done, we'll open up the barricade to let you all in-"

"Hey! There they are!" Everyone heard a voice calling out from the town's northern area. Running towards the group were five students of Shinzo Academy, two boys and three girls. When the students reached everyone, Jack and the Blood Maidens recognized them as their classmates.

"You guys!" Red Riding Hood raised her eyebrows. "What are you doing here?"

"It's not safe. You need to stay in your homes," Major said to the students with concern.

"Red Riding Hood, what's going on?" asked one of the female students. "We heard you fought off those monsters at our school earlier!"

"Yeah, what exactly is happening here?" the first of the male students said. Noticing the Blood Maidens' weapons and Arika, he added with bewilderment, "And what's with those things? And who is this?!"

"You kids, go home. This is not a place for you all to be at!" Card-Three called out to the students while reaching for his walkie-talkie.

"Wait," Mr. Shiro raised his hand, stopping Card-Three. "I suggest that we have the police unit discuss our plan with me and Haru's team," As he spoke, he shifted his attention from the police unit to Haru's group. Turning his head towards Arika, Mr. Shiro said, "Arika, would you care to take the young ones somewhere else? That way, they can sort matters out without any disturbance,"

"Very well. Everyone, please come this way," Walking away from the Dawn truck, Arika beckoned for the youths to follow her. As she led her companions away from it, Haru's team and Mr. Shiro gathered with the police unit for their discussion. While everyone at Haru's side talked, Arika's group moved towards the Tea Party Brigade parked next to the north road. Stopping next to the truck, Jack and the Blood Maidens faced their classmates. The rest, with Arika in front of them, stood next to the two groups.

"Now, let us talk," Arika addressed her companions. Looking at Jack and the Blood Maidens' classmates, she said, "Do alleviate your doubts regarding the situation,"

"We want to know what's going on," The second male among the students stated, his gaze shifting to Jack's side. "What exactly were those things that attacked the school? And… how exactly were you able to fight them?" Jack and the Blood Maidens fell silent as if they were thinking of what to say.

"Everyone," Red Riding Hood spoke to the students. "What we're about to tell you may be hard to believe. In fact, I think you should head home first. It's better to talk once we've settled things,"

"What are you saying?" a female classmate said while appearing distraught. "We don't want to leave until we find out the truth. Please. Tell us!" Seeing the student's worried demeanor, Alice moved close to Red Riding Hood and spoke to her.

"Red Riding Hood, I think we should tell them everything. Even if they find it hard to believe us, we should at least quell their anxiety for the time being,"

"You're right, Alice," Listening to Alice, Red Riding Hood said to the students, "Alright, we'll tell you all everything. So, listen carefully," The brunette Blood Maiden gave a brief explanation of the latest developments. She even explained a little about the true nature of her kind. At the end of her story, the students were nearly speechless.

"Is this… for real?" the first male student wore a huge frown on his face.

"As a matter of fact, it is," Gretel said in a neutral tone.

"This is some kind of joke, right?" the third of the female students put on a forced grin. "It is, isn't it?" As she talked, Sleeping Beauty walked towards her. "Someone, please tell me this is a fairy tale gone wrong or something-" Right when the student finished, the drowsy Blood Maiden stood in front of her. All eyes were on her including the student herself, who raised her eyebrows.

"Sleepy?" Thumbelina stared at her sister, whose face was filled with concern. At this time, Sleeping Beauty started speaking to the student facing her.

"Don't… panic…"

"Huh?"

"You worry… means… we worry too…" With an assuring tone, Sleeping Beauty said, "So leave this… to us… It'll be… alright… We… promise..." Once she finished speaking, Red Riding Hood stepped forward.

"Everyone," she then said apologetically to the students. "We're sorry for hiding the truth about ourselves from you. We thought it didn't matter for you all to know who we really are," Smiling, Red Riding Hood added, "But, don't you worry. We'll get our school back to normal. So, just wait for everything to settle down, alright?"

"Do you really mean that?" asked the second male student.

"You have our word," Alice assured. "Once this is over, you'll be able to return your normal life. That, we will ensure," Jack and the Blood Maidens' classmates turned quiet. Just then, a police car stopped next to everyone. Out of it came its driver, who faced the group.

"What are you kids doing?" the police officer spoke. "You shouldn't be out here. It's not safe-" His attention then shifted to Jack and the Blood Maidens. "Oh, you're the ones the chief talked about. Is something the matter?"

"We're sorry if we caused some trouble, sir," Jack answered the officer. "We were about to send our friends back home,"

"Leave the students to us," Ichijo said to Jack while referring to his gang. "We'll bring them to the residential area and keep watch on things from there,"

"I'll stay with Jack and his friends," Hinata said. "I want to see this to the very end,"

"Me too, man," Hatter pointed to March and Drake. "When we watch a show, we make sure we finish it,"

"We appreciate your support but, I think it's best that you all head back home too. We don't want to involve anyone of you if possible," Alice spoke to Hatter's trio and Hinata.

"Why not, Alice? Let us in too!" protested Hatter. "Ain't no way we're gonna sit back and do nothing!"

"I agree!" Hinata joined in. "I'm not leaving until this is over!"

"Alright," Alice said. "But, once the mission begins, you and Hatter's group stay with Haru and the others. Is that fine?"

"We got it," Hatter replied understandingly. The police officer, having affirmed with Jack and the Blood Maidens that things are under control, went back into his vehicle and drove off to the east road. Ichijo and his band took Jack and the Blood Maidens' classmates aside. At the same time, the rest of Jack's group started to head back to the Dawn truck.

"Wait," the female student whom Sleeping Beauty talked with stepped forward and spoke to Jack and his company. The latter stopped a few walks away from Ichijo's side and looked at her.

"I don't know what you're going to do to get the school back, but, promise us one thing. Please, come back safely,"

"Fret not, my fellow friends," Confidently, Hameln declared, "We shall return safe and sound!"

"Take care, you first years," Gotou said to Jack's team.

"We will. Same to you," Alice replied to Gotou with a smile. With that, Ichijo's group parted from Jack's by walking to the residential area. Jack and his company brought their attention to the town's west area.

"Okay, everyone. Let's go," At Red Riding Hood's words, Jack's band headed off to rejoin their friends. The time for their fight with Jabberwock was nearing.

* * *

"All set?" Haru asked Jack and the Blood Maidens, now standing in front of the western road's barricade with Mr. Shiro, Arika and Leader's unit. At it's center, a space was made to let Jack's team through. The plan is that they will enter Shinzo Academy, with the aim of protecting Arika due to her being a crucial figure in rescuing Towa. As for Haru's team, Hinata and Hatter's trio, they will be inside the Dawn truck communicating with Jack's team. To facilitate contact between Jack and Haru's groups, a transceiver, one held by Jack and the other by Haru, was given to both sides. In addition, the police unit's members were supplied with headsets through which Haru's team can monitor their observations thanks to cameras installed in them.

"Yup. We're ready to go," Red Riding Hood said to Haru, whose group is standing next to Jack's.

"I wish all of you the best of luck in this operation," Miko said to Jack's team. "And be careful,"

"We will, sister Miko," Snow White said.

"By the way, is it alright for Mr. Shiro to come along?" a concerned Thumbelina asked Haru's group. "I know he helped us fight the Marchens earlier but, isn't it a bit dangerous for him to head into the school with us?"

"Admittedly, that is true," Mr. Shiro answered Thumbelina. "That is, under normal circumstances,"

"What do you mean, Mr. Shiro?" Jack became curious.

"You will know much later. Now, I believe we should commence the operation," Jack wondered what Mr. Shiro meant by 'much later'. For the time being though, he set that thought aside.

"Shiro's right," Haru stated. "There's no telling what'll happen if we stay here too long,"

"Right," Red Riding Hood turned to face her teammates. "Okay, everyone, let's go," Jack's team gazed out on the west road, ready to depart for their destination.

"Thumby," Hatter called out to Thumbelina right before Jack's group started moving.

"What is it?" Thumbelina asked.

"I know I said this before," Hatter, with March and Drake by his side, walked towards Thumbelina and her sisters. "But, when this is all over, let's go out for a date-The three of us and you sisters together. Whatchu girls say?"

"Are you kidding me?" a stunned Thumbelina responded. "Why are you asking about that at a time like this?!" The rest of the people around her, save March and Drake, appeared somewhat dumbstruck at the conversation.

"I was only playing, Thumby," Hatter spoke in a joking manner. Putting on a serious face, he said, "Take care in there,"

"I shall give my blessings to all of you as well," March said to Jack's team. "May Lady Luck be on your side,"

"Good luck, everyone," Drake wished Jack and his companions. "Be safe,"

"Thanks," Thumbelina smiled. "Don't you worry. We won't go down that easily,"

"I do not wish to interrupt but, I believe we should make haste," Mr. Shiro addressed his team members.

"Okay," As Red Riding Hood was about to leave with her band, she said to Haru's team, "You all take care, alright?"

"Same to you. Be careful," Major said. Wishing Jack's group goodbye, Haru's side watched them walk past the barricade and down the west road. Moments later, Jack and his company disappeared from Haru and his companion's sights.

"Alright, it's all up to them now," Haru stated. "Let's hope for the best,"

"Yup," After Clara spoke, she brought her attention to Hatter. "By the way, mind if I ask something, Hatter?"

"Sure, what's up?"

"Why were you asking Thumbelina out on a date?" There was a brief period of silence.

"Well…" Hatter scratched his head. "About that…"

* * *

Jack's team is currently facing the transformed Shinzo Academy; with the police unit in the lead and Mr. Shiro, Jack and the Blood Maidens behind them. Arika was encircled by both sides in order to ensure her protection. Everyone gazed at the school's entrance, which exuded a menacing feel.

"Here we are," Red Riding Hood said. "Is everyone ready?"

"We're ready when you are, Red Riding Hood," Jack raised his weapon, the Mary Gun.

"Let's go," said a serious Alice. "Once we're inside the school, be on your guard. There's no telling what we may face in there,"

"Fear not, m' lady. With our united front, we shall be unkillable- No. Undying- Wait. That is not it. What is it that I am supposed to utter here?" All eyes were on Hameln as she struggled to think of her choice of words. Card-One to Card-Four appeared confused at the tanned Blood Maiden's behavior.

"I believe the word you're looking for is 'undefeatable'," Gretel pointed out.

"Yes! Right you are, Gretel!" Hameln displayed a happy awareness. "I thank you for the kind reminder!" Seeing her demeanor, Jack and the other Blood Maidens could not help but be amused.

"Is she alright?" Card-Three frowned.

"I can assure you she is," Mr. Shiro said to Card-Three with good nature. "That aside, shall we enter?"

"Yes, we shall. Let us proceed with caution," At Leader's words, everyone walked into Shinzo Academy. The group was greeted by the sight of a labyrinth-like pathway, it's floor layered with stained glass. The walls of the labyrinth resembled those of a castle's and had lamps which emitted a faint glow of light. Jack and his team observed their surroundings while walking down the path.

Inside the black Dawn truck's interior, Haru was seated at a desk, watching a camera feed of the police unit's sightings on a laptop. On his left were Major, Miko and Clara. Hatter's trio and Hinata huddled around Haru's right side. The young boys were watching the recording intently as if in anticipation of something.

""D***" Hatter was the first to remark about the video. "Is this what Jack and his gals see every time back when they were in the Jail?"

"Pretty much, yeah," replied Haru.

"The atmosphere of that place," March gazed at Haru's laptop, his face filled with wonder. "It's otherworldly. Yet, remarkable,"

"You think so?" Major sounded uncertain. "I don't see anything remarkable there,"

"I can't imagine living in a place like the Jail for a long time," In a concerned tone, Hinata said to the Dawn members, "Is this really what all of you see every day in there?"

"As a matter of fact, that is correct," Miko answered. "I can understand that you would pose such a question as you were never involved in the tragedy," Hinata began to notice Miko having a troubled expression.

"I-I'm sorry," stammered Hinata. "I didn't mean to bring up anything bad,"

"It's alright," Miko chuckled softly. "I was not feeling anything in particular,"

"It's true that the Jail's structure can be a sight for sore eyes. However, it can be pretty scary too," Haru said to his company. "Anyway, let's keep watching the feed for now. Who knows what might happen next," Time passed. Inside the school's labyrinth, Jack's team walked through its many paths with caution. Though they saw nothing out of the ordinary so far, the group prepared themselves for the possibility of an enemy attack.

Back in the truck, Haru's eyes were focused on his laptop. Miko was still standing next to him. Major and Clara were on Haru's right, resting themselves against the table. As for Hatter's trio and Hinata, they were loitering behind Haru. March leaned against the wall while the other three boys stood next to him.

"Man, this is boring," Hatter seemed a little restless.

"What did you expect?" Haru turned around and glanced at Hatter. "You and your friends chose to stay here,"

"Yeah, but this is way too quiet, man," Pointing to Haru's transceiver, strapped to his waist, the red headed boy added, "You mind giving that to me by the way?"

"Huh? Why do you need it for?"

"I just wanna talk to Jack and his gals that's all. See how they're doing,"

"But, the recording so far shows that they're doing well…" Miko motioned at the laptop screen.

"Yeah, but, I wanna speak to them personally, Miko," Hatter replied quickly. "I can't be standing around here doing nothing,"

"Alright," Haru said to Hatter. "Don't hold them up though. Especially if things get nasty at Jack's side,"

"Thanks, Haru," Hatter moved forward and stood in between Major and Haru. Simultaneously, Haru switched on his transceiver and gave it to Hatter, who then put it in front of his mouth. At that moment, Jack received a call on his transceiver and picked it up.

"Hello?" As he answered the call, everyone in his team stopped to look at Jack. The Blood Maidens moved close to him, listening in on his conversation.

"Yo, Jack, my man," Hatter spoke into the transceiver heartily. "How you doing in there?"

"Hatter?!" a surprised Thumbelina said. "What are you calling us for?"

"Just wanna know how you fellas doing, Thumby," replied Hatter. "I gotta say you guys are in a really weird place. What with whatever we're seeing from our side,"

"You think so? It's not exactly strange to us," said Red Riding Hood.

"That's because you've been seeing those kinda things every day. And I've got to hand it to y'all-Despite the fact that you went through h***, you people are closely knit together," Sighing, Hatter moved his eyes upwards. "Reminds me of the three of our childhoods,"

"What are you talking about, Hatter?" asked a curious Snow White.

"Back when me, March and Drake were kids, we grew up in an orphanage," Hatter spoke seriously. "At one time, there was this crazy a** case of child abuse which the headmaster of that place kept hidden. We were pissed. But, we couldn't do anything. Anyway, the police found out about the incident and arrested the headmaster,"

"That sounds terrible," Jack remarked.

"I know right? When that was over though, the three of us decided to leave the orphanage. Went out into the open world to understand how everybody lives in a world full of bad people like that headmaster. While we did, we worked our a**** as if our lives depended on it. And we've seen all kinds of s*** each day," Everyone around Hatter felt sympathetic over his story. Arika, Mr. Shiro and Leader's unit watched as Jack and the Blood Maidens shared the same feeling.

"But, at the end of every day, we always remind ourselves that we got each other. No matter what. In the same way, whatever happens at your end, remember-The same applies to you fellas,"

"Hatter…" Deep down, Thumbelina was impressed at what she and her friends are hearing.

"Well, putting all that aside," Hatter shifted to a light hearted demeanor. "Lemme lift your morale up a lil. In fact, I got something for a time like this," Haru and the rest of his company stared at Hatter, wondering what he meant. In a softer voice, Hatter said, "This is for you, Thumby,"

"Huh?" Thumbelina became confused. Soon, Hatter broke out into a song.

 _The closer I get to you_

 _The more you make me see_

 _By giving me all you've got_

 _Your love has captured me_

Those who heard Hatter, especially Jack and the Blood Maidens, were mostly dumbfounded at his current behavior. For March and Drake, they found their friend's conduct amusing. As the singing continued, Thumbelina rolled her eyes. She took Jack's transceiver, switched it off and gave it back to him. This left Hatter slightly puzzled.

"I can't believe this! We're in the middle of a mission and he tries to seduce me? Is he mad?" Thumbelina expressed her annoyance over Hatter's antics.

"I wonder if it would be an overstatement to call him the "Mad Hatter"," said Gretel.

"Whatever. If he repeats what he did earlier, I swear I'll bash his face in," Exuding a sigh, Thumbelina walked ahead. "Let's go," The members of Jack's team that were in front of her gave way to the red headed Blood Maiden.

"Thumby, wait. Don't go off on your own!" Red Riding Hood, with Jack and the other Blood Maidens in tow, followed Thumbelina. Mr. Shiro and his company watched as the youngsters dashed past them.

"Are those kids going to be fine?" asked a concerned Card-Four.

"They can be a little lively but, rest assured, this will not affect our operation," With a gesture, Mr. Shiro said, "Shall we proceed?" Accompanied by Leader's unit and Arika, Mr. Shiro quickly caught up with Jack and the Blood Maidens and followed them into a corridor.

Reaching the end of the corridor, everyone found themselves in a huge space surrounded by four walls. Ahead of them was a large gate adorned with stained glass. Seeing the gate, Jack and his group approached and stood a short distance away from it. The minute they arrived there, Rapunzel started to growl fiercely.

"Rappy? What's the matter?" Cinderella asked. Whenever Rapunzel growled, it was a sign that an enemy is near, something which Jack and the Blood Maidens knew. However, the blonde Blood Maiden was growling more fiercely than she ever had.

"W-Why is she growling?" asked a slightly puzzled Card-One.

"Oh, that?" Gretel said to Card-One. "It's her way of signaling an enemy's presence. A terrifying one in fact,"

"Which means our enemy is ahead of us," Red Riding Hood spoke to her friends.

"So, it would seem," a cautious looking Kaguya stated. "We must exercise wariness. There is no telling what Jabberwock has in store for us," The minute she finished speaking, Mr. Shiro turned quiet, as if he was deep in thought. Noticing this, Alice talked to him.

"Is something wrong, Mr. Shiro?" Still silent, Mr. Shiro walked to the side. All eyes were on him as he stopped at the group's left and faced them.

"Mr. Shiro?" Jack wondered what Mr. Shiro was doing.

"Before we enter that gate," Mr. Shiro addressed the team. "There is something I wish to say," He then added, "Jack, would you kindly lend me your transceiver?"

"Sure," In his mind, Jack was curious about Mr. Shiro's request. Nevertheless, he walked towards him and handed over his transceiver. As Mr. Shiro put the transceiver to his mouth, Jack went back to the Blood Maidens.

"Haru, this is Shirosagi speaking. I believe that things are alright on your end?" Mr. Shiro spoke into the transceiver.

"Yes, Major took a quick look outside of our truck. Nothing out of the ordinary's happened so far," replied Haru. "Seems like you guys found something already,"

"Indeed. We think that Jabberwock is close to us. Before we proceed to face him though, there is something I wish to address to our team as well as to those at your side,"

"Oh? What is it?" At this point, Haru's group stared into his laptop, now showing an image of Mr. Shiro.

"The truth is, I have hid a secret from all of you. Especially from the people of the Dawn. In actuality, I am not human," Mr. Shiro's solemn words left Jack and Haru's teams surprised.

"W-What do you mean?" asked a confused Jack.

Mr. Shiro removed his glasses and kept them under his coat. "Perhaps, I should show you," Suddenly, a white aura arose from beneath his feet and engulfed him. Within seconds, Mr. Shiro turned into the White Rabbit, astonishing those that witnessed his transformation.

"Hey, aren't you…" While Red Riding Hood spoke, Alice came to a realization.

"You're the one we met atop the rooftop of our school!" At the Dawn truck, Hatter was so shocked at the current developments that he shouted out loud. This startled the people near him, mainly Clara and Hinata.

"GOD****! Mr. Shiro's one of them S & M freaks? What the h***'s going on here?!"

"I can understand if any of you are taken aback by what you are seeing," The White Rabbit said to everyone. "Nonetheless, I can assure you that I am on your side,"

"Well, you better start explaining yourselves here, Mr. Shiro-I mean, whatever on planet Mars you've become-Cuz this is some real Freddy Krueger s*** we're seeing here!" Hatter spoke into Haru's transceiver so loud that everyone in Jack's group could hear him.

"Wait. Freddy Krueger? The Freddy Krueger from "A Nightmare on Elm Street?" Major stared at Hatter upon the latter's mention of the name.

"H***, yeah! Wait, scratch that. This s***'s ten times crazier than Freddy Krueger-"

"Calm down," Miko stopped Hatter. "As surprised as I am to the situation, let us hear what Mr. Shiro has to say,"

"Who or what exactly are you?" Cinderella asked the White Rabbit. For a minute, the being did not answer.

"Hey, say something!" Card-One said to the White Rabbit. It was clear that he and his teammates were alarmed at the thought of a monster being on their side. Leader, on the other hand, maintained his composure.

"In order for me to describe my present form, I will have to start from the very beginning. To be exact, I am referring to fifteen years ago, when the Jail first came into existence,"

"When the Jail first came into existence?" Snow White asked.

"Yes, it all began on that very day-The day when the investigation team was sent to the Jail's tower. On that day, the investigation team was wiped out by a Nightmare as well as the being which most of us know as the Snark," The White Rabbit's statement caught the attention of the Dawn's members including Jack and the Blood Maidens. There was no way they could forget the tragedy that befell the investigation team of which Professor Tohjima, the Dawn's founder and the person whom Red Riding Hood called "Dad", was a part of.

"After the tragedy that befell them, the Snark took over the identity of Professor Tohjima. As most of us are aware, during his time in the Dawn, he pulled the strings so as to fuel the Jail's growth and in turn, reshape the world as he saw fit. Though it appeared that he had completely taken up the Professor's identity, there is more to that than we knew. In truth, the real Professor had resided within the Snark,"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Thumbelina frowned.

"When the Snark killed the Professor and took his appearance, the Professor's soul entered his body. It was then that he did one thing-He attempted to regain control of his own self from within the Snark. The Professor guided his subconscious such that not only could the latter's goals be delayed but, that the Snark would not harm his comrades as well,"

"Unfortunately, the Snark's influence proved to be more dominant. Realizing that there was not much time before he is completely taken over, the Professor, with his remaining willpower, brought the Snark to me and told me the truth behind his identity. He then bestowed upon me the knowledge and powers possessed by the Snark himself," As the White Rabbit went on with his explanation, Leader listened intently. The members of his unit did the same despite feeling uneasy over the White Rabbit's appearance.

"From that moment, the Professor we knew had disappeared, only to be replaced by the Snark. At the same time, the alien nature of my newly received abilities threatened to corrupt my mind and body. I shut myself out from my surroundings for as long as I could remember, trying to subdue the aftereffects of my powers,"

"It was when we escaped the Jail that I was able to fully control my powers. From that day on, I gained the ability to shift between two forms-One is my human self. The other is the one that you are now witnessing. In this form, I am called the White Rabbit,"

"I don't understand what you're talking about…" a puzzled Card-Two said.

"It is alright if you don't," The White Rabbit continued his story. "Soon after keeping my powers in check, I rejoined the Dawn while keeping my other identity a secret," Turning to look at Jack and the Blood Maidens, he added, "And then, I met all of you and chose to become your guardian,"

"How intriguing," Gretel commented with a smile. "To think that a Marchen had been residing under the same roof as us," Putting on a neutral expression, she said, "What I find peculiar though is the fact that you did not lose yourself to your newly acquired capabilities. Why I wonder, is that the case?"

"That is because I swore to not let anything overcome my own self. Not while I seek to fulfill a promise I made on behalf of the Professor,"

"What do you mean?" Alice raised her eyebrows at the White Rabbit's statement.

"Professor Tohjima was a man who although engrossed in his work, cared for the people close to him. It was that aspect which made me respect him and contribute to the Dawn," The White Rabbit's eyes were downcast. "Before the Professor's soul faded, he entrusted you, Alice, as well as your friends, into my hands. He asked me to apologize on his behalf for not being able to stop the Snark. And also, he wished to say that he would remember all of you as his beloved children and was proud of you,"

"Dad… said that?" This time, it was Red Riding Hood's eyebrows that were lifted.

"H-Hold on there," a confused Thumbelina spoke out. "Are you telling me that the Professor was actually trying to help us escape the Jail back then?"

"As a matter of fact, yes," answered the White Rabbit. "If you think back to your time in the Jail, did you not notice? Even though the Snark stayed by your side, he did not kill all of you outright despite knowing you would stand in his way. Instead, he chose to bide his time, waiting for his plans to come to fruition,"

"Is it because the Professor interfered with him from inside his body?"

"Right you are, Alice," said the White Rabbit. "Had the Professor's soul not entered the Snark and influenced his actions, the latter would have resorted to more extreme means in achieving his goals, including killing every person around him. To put it simply, the Professor helped all of you by pacifying the Snark from within, to a certain extent,"

"If what you're telling us is true, then why didn't the Professor tell us anything about this back then?" Haru said questioningly.

"It is because he had been completely taken over by the Snark right after he revealed everything to me. Soon after, the Snark lived amongst the Dawn under the guise of the Professor with no one else knowing the truth. Until now," In a firm tone, the White Rabbit said, "I believe I have said enough. Apart from this, I have but one request. For this battle, I wish for everyone except me and Arika to not participate in it," Everyone became shocked at what they have heard.

"What are you saying?" an astonished Jack said. "I thought we were in this together!"

"Jack, you and the girls have fought in the Jail, soiling your hands for far too long," The White Rabbit spoke to Jack and the Blood Maidens compassionately. "Young people such as yourselves should live a peaceful life free from fighting. Even if it costs me my life, I will ensure that none of you have to return to the life you once had in the Jail. That is the promise I made,"

"But, that doesn't mean you have to go in there alone!" Thumbelina protested. "Didn't you say that as long as we have each other, anything is possible? We can win this battle if we fight together!"

"Initially, that is what I said" The White Rabbit gave a hesitant reply. "But, I have changed my mind. On top of that, I do not wish to involve anyone else from this town, including the police, in this coming battle. I am sorry to say this but, please retreat to the town along with Leader's team. I and Arika will deal with Jabberwock. This is not only for your sake but, the Professor's as well. I am sure he would not want you to throw your lives away from fighting," Hearing this, Hatter grabbed Haru's transceiver and spoke into it, to the latter's surprise.

"Listen. First, you go in there wanting to help beat Jabberwock's a**, now, you saying you wanna go fight that mofo alone?" In disapproval, Hatter said, "You crazy, man! If you die, who gonna take care of Jack and his girls, huh?"

"That can be arranged-"

"Arranged?" Everyone at Hatter's side stared as he cut off the White Rabbit. "What kind of s*** is that?! You gonna throw your life away and leave Jack and the gals to someone else? H***, no! You're their guardian! You should be the one taking care of them!"

"Hatter," Haru tried to calm the red headed boy down.

"And I don't really get all that mumbo jumbo about a Professor Tohjima," Ignoring Haru, Hatter continued on. "But, I don't care about that! All I care is for you guys to return so, we can spend our halcyon days together! Don't you think so too, Jack? And what about your girls? Don't they think the same too?"

Jack and his company were quiet, most of them unsure of what to say. A moment later, Red Riding Hood took a step forward and gazed at the White Rabbit. "You know, when we first met you, I admit I felt something odd about you. I couldn't put a finger on it at that time. But, now I know why I felt that way," A sad expression emerged on her face.

"The truth is, ever since we escaped the Jail, I was conflicted about Dad. He killed everyone who found me and cared for me. I loved with him with all I had. I couldn't forgive him for the things he did and I couldn't hate him either. It was all a jumble,"

"After hearing what you said though, I understand now," A small smile crept across Red Riding Hood's face. "Dad really was the loving person whom I knew. Knowing this makes me happy. And I thank you, Mr. Shiro, for telling us about Dad,"

"Sister Red…" Thumbelina along with the other Blood Maidens and Jack looked at Red Riding Hood.

"You're right to say that Dad would not want us to discard our lives," Red Riding Hood's smile faded. "Even still, we will fight. It doesn't matter if we've dirtied our hands too much. All we want is to have another tomorrow for us to enjoy with our friends,"

"In order for that to happen, we need everyone's help. Including yours, Mr. Shiro. So, please, let us fight with you. We don't want you to leave us and fight alone," Red Riding Hood displayed her concern for the White Rabbit.

"I do not comprehend your entire story," Stepping forward, Leader spoke to the White Rabbit. "But, the girl speaks the truth. Regardless of the dangers ahead, we cannot afford to break away from each other,"

"You are saying you will fight with me?" Slightly surprised, the White Rabbit asked Jack and his companions. "Even after what I have told all of you?"

"Of course we will," Haru spoke over the transceiver, now back in his hands. "What, you thought we wouldn't because you're not human? That doesn't matter. We're the Dawn. We fight together. That's how it's always been. Like Hatter said, no matter what, we got each other. Isn't that right, everyone?" Everyone at Haru's side agreed with him.

"Excuse me," Card-One spoke to the White Rabbit. "If we're really going to do this, there's something I need to know at all costs,"

"What is it?" The White Rabbit along with the rest of Jack's group were now quiet as they wondered what Card-One was going to say. The look on the police officer's face was so serious to the point where most of his company turned anxious.

"Do we still call you Mr. Shiro or what?" Card-One uttered in an unexpectedly curious manner. This led to Jack and the Blood Maidens, sans Gretel and Sleeping Beauty, exclaiming, their voices loud enough for Haru's team to hear. Thumbelina, Snow White and Red Riding Hood nearly collapsed to the ground. The remainder of Leader's unit members exchanged dumbfounded looks. As for Leader and Gretel, the two of them sighed softly. Arika along with Sleeping Beauty and Haru's group blinked upon witnessing the commotion.

"I mean if we're really going to continue with this mission, we got to at least remember our teammates' names, right?" Card-One spoke further.

"Regarding that," The White Rabbit replied once the rest of his group regained their composure. "You may still call me by my name. I am fine with that," Just then, Hatter grabbed Haru's transceiver once more, irritating the latter slightly.

"Okay, fellas. Lemme say that we're all cool and that's fine," he spoke loudly into it. "What say we have a lil' music to lift up your spirits before the big fight? Here goes…" The next thing everyone knew, Hatter broke out into another song-To be specific, an excerpt from James Brown's "I Feel Good". Rolling her eyes, Thumbelina took Jack's transceiver from the White Rabbit's hands, switched it off and handed it to Jack.

"I guess we're alright now, correct?" the red headed Blood Maiden asked her teammates.

"Yes, that appears to be the case," Arika said.

"In that case, let us do our best," Alice smiled at the White Rabbit. "Come and take your place among us, Mr. Shiro. You're a part of the team,"

"Are you sure?" asked the White Rabbit. "Do you not fear having to stain your hands with blood once more?"

Red Riding Hood laughed cheerfully. "Don't worry so much, Mr. Shiro! When push comes to shove, we'll just beat up anything in our way," Turning to face her teammates, she said, "Right, guys?"

"Indeed!" Hameln supported Red Riding Hood. "We shall plow through those that stand in our way!" Seeing the two Blood Maidens' vibrant demeanor caused the White Rabbit to chuckle lightly.

"I see," he then said. "You are far more spirited than I ever imagined. Very well, I shall join forces with everyone in defeating Jabberwock and rescuing Towa. And also, I apologize for my previous words,"

"Don't be," smiled Leader. "We're glad to have you with us," With Jack's team now having a united cause, they began to face the gate in front of them, their eyes filled with determination.

"Is everyone, ready?" Jack asked.

"Yes, we are, Jack," replied Alice.

"What are waiting for? Let's go," Card-Two and his teammates readied their shotguns.

"Yes, we shall. May every one of you stand steadfast and strong," Arika wished her companions.

"Everyone, let's go," At Red Riding Hood's words, Jack and his group walked towards the gate, ready to confront Jabberwock and fulfill their mission-To free Towa and restore peace to Wonder Ville.


	11. Chapter 10

_Dear Readers/Writers,_

 _It has come to my attention that on 28 June 2018_ , _the game on which this story is based will receive a sequel in Japan_ , _titled_ " _Mary Skelter 2_ ".

 _Of note is that_ " _Mary Skelter 2_ "' _s story appears to be similar to the first game's_. _Given this_ , _to prevent any confusion on which game this story is based on_ , _I emphasize that it continues off from the events of the original_ " _Mary Skelter: Nightmares_ ".

 _I hope all of you understand and I wish all of you a good day_. _Thank you_.

* * *

Jack's team entered through the gate, beyond which lies the destination of their coming battle. On their left and right were Leader's unit, armed with shotguns, and Jack and the Blood Maidens respectively. In the middle of them were the White Rabbit and Arika. Jack and his companions now found themselves in a room with four blue pillars; each placed northwest, northeast, southwest and southeast from the center of the room. Standing in the middle of it was none other than Jabberwock, his back facing the group. Seeing their enemy, Jack and his group left the gate, still open, and faced him.

Upon their arrival, Jabberwock turned around to face them. The air became tense as both Jack's team and Jabberwock stared at each other. The members of Leader's unit gripped their shotguns tight in anticipation of an attack.

"So, the cursed ones have arrived," Jabberwock put on a mocking grin. "Did you decide to fight me even if it endangers the life of your friend?"

"Sorry to burst your bubble, but, that's not going to happen," Red Riding Hood said seriously. "We'll beat you and save Towa. You can bet on it,"

"Such a trivial declaration. Before I put an end to all of you, I believe there is something that needs to be dealt with," All of a sudden, Jabberwock roared loudly, unleashing a shockwave which travelled past Jack's team. To their surprise, a small explosion occurred on their communication equipment, rendering them useless.

"Oh, no," Jack examined his damaged transceiver. "The transceiver!"

* * *

At Haru's side, everyone saw the camera feed on his laptop show nothing except static. Haru tried to contact Jack via his transceiver, only to receive no response. This led to those around him feeling concerned over Jack and his friends' safety.

"What the h***?" Hatter asked. "What's going on here?"

"We've lost contact with Jack and his team," Miko answered. "It appears that our enemy cut off their communications with us,"

"This is bad. How're we going to know what's happening in there?" said Hinata.

"You got to be kidding me," Hatter rushed off to the door of the Dawn truck's interior.

"Hey, where are you going?" Haru asked Hatter.

"Ain't it obvious? We're gonna get to them," Stopping in front of the door, Hatter gave a quick reply. "We stay here, there's no telling what kinda s*** they'll get themselves into,"

"That's dangerous," Major objected. "You don't even have any experience in dealing with Marchens; let alone, in fighting,"

"But, we can't just leave them inside there! Especially Jack's cute a** band of hotties-"

"There now, Hatter," March lifted one hand up. Walking around slowly, he began addressing everyone. "It is correct to say that we do not possess any skill in handling Marchens. However, if you're referring to fighting in general, that is a different story,"

"What do you mean by that?" Miko gazed at March, the latter now next to Hatter. The gentlemanly young man raised a fist, conjuring a handkerchief from seemingly out of nowhere. This astonished the members of the Dawn, particularly Clara.

"How… did you do that?" Clara's eyes were wide open. Chuckling lightly, March kept the handkerchief he produced under his dress shirt.

"Would you like to know?"

* * *

"To think that Jabberwock would destroy our means of communication," The White Rabbit stated. "I did not foresee this,"

"The only thing you should foresee is your own death," Jabberwock pointed at Jack's group. "Once your lives have been taken, your comrades shall bear witness to your deceased bodies and fall into despair,"

"If you think you can kill us so easily, we'd like to see you try," Thumbelina challenged Jabberwock. "It doesn't matter how many Marchens you take out. We'll bring all of them down,"

"What if I told you it is not Marchens alone I shall be calling?"

"What do you mean?" asked the White Rabbit cautiously.

"Allow me to show you," Jabberwock began gathering dark energy in one hand, shaping it into a ball. Hurling it to the floor on his right, the ball turned into a huge cloud of black smoke which slowly materialized into a physical being. The being in question was a black humanoid, it's legs crossed, seated on what appeared to be a white throne with legs attached beneath it. In it's mouth was an orange pipe held by the creature with both hands.

Jack and the Blood Maidens could not believe their eyes. The creature beside Jabberwock was none other than a Nightmare-The name given to the wardens of the Jail encountered by the youths in their past. Unlike Marchens, which can be killed via normal means, Nightmares are notoriously known amongst the Dawn to be near immortal. To defeat them, one has to search for a Core situated in the Nightmare's respective area and destroy it. This would weaken the said Nightmare, making it vulnerable to any form of attack.

"A Nightmare? At a time like this?!" As Jack spoke, Leader's unit members aimed their weapons at the Nightmare.

"Everyone, this is not an enemy that you can simply fight head on!" Red Riding Hood warned Leader's unit. "We need to fall back!"

"There is no need for that," Gretel said.

"Huh? Why?" a surprised Red Riding Hood replied.

"This Nightmare feels different than the ones we have fought in the Jail. I believe it is susceptible to injuries even without the destruction of a Core,"

"Rapunzel feels we can beat the Nightmare up," Rapunzel said.

"But, how would you know that in the first place?" Thumbelina asked Gretel.

"Oh, have you forgotten?" Gretel smiled. "I have lived with a Nightmare once. It's only natural for me to perceive how they operate," It was no surprise for the Blood Maiden to say such words. Before joining the Dawn, she resided in the Jail alongside a Nightmare named Hansel, whom she treated as her brother.

"How are you able to call forth an existence such as a Nightmare easily?" the White Rabbit questioned Jabberwock.

"My desire for vengeance granted me empowerment and in turn, the powers I require to fulfill my objective. That though, is none of your concern. It is time I bring a swift end to your lives," Jabberwock, appearing deadly serious, commanded the Nightmare beside him. "Destroy them," At this, the Nightmare blew it's pipe loudly.

"Get ready. Here it comes!" Alice and her company prepared for battle. At the same time, Jabberwock began to advance. Seeing this, the White Rabbit quickly ran ahead and swung his fists at the draconic entity. Jabberwock then grabbed the White Rabbit's hands leading to the latter pushing against the former.

"Mr. Shiro!" Jack called out.

"I will handle Jabberwock. The rest of you deal with the Nightmare!"

"But-" Snow White looked hesitant.

"Just go! Arika will assist all of you! In the meantime, I will try to wear down Jabberwock!" With that said, the White Rabbit and Jabberwock moved a few feet away from everyone to resume their fight.

"Ah! They went there!" Rapunzel pointed out to her friends.

"Don't worry about them, Rappy!" Cinderella said. "More importantly, we need to beat this Nightmare to a pulp!" The Nightmare summoned by Jabberwock played a melodious yet eerie tune using it's pipe. Within seconds, small clouds of smoke emerged around the Nightmare's feet, turning into swarms of rat-like Marchens; their eyes glinting with a red light. Upon being summoned, they ran to Jack's team.

"What in the…?!" Card-One and his teammates frantically fired their shotguns at the little Marchens, killing some of them. "What are these things?!"

"Stay calm!" Leader assessed the situation. "We'll break through the enemy's front and take it down!"

"You got it!" Acknowledging Leader's instructions, Red Riding Hood spoke to Jack and the other Blood Maidens. "Thumby, you and your sisters along with Hameln support the police! The rest of us will plow through and aim for the Nightmare!"

"I shall stay with the police and help them," Arika stated.

"Alright, let's go," Alice said as she readied her weapon.

"Okay," nodded Jack. "Be careful, everyone!" Jack and Alice led several of the Blood Maidens into slaying their enemies. From behind them, Leader and his unit provided cover fire alongside Thumbelina, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and Hameln. Arika stood by Leader's group, fending off any incoming enemies with a barrier of white energy.

At the White Rabbit and Jabberwock's side, the fight between the two entities was fierce. Jabberwock flew from various directions and swiped at the White Rabbit with his claws. After blocking his opponent's attacks, the White Rabbit jumped over him and landed a swift blow on Jabberwock's back. Landing on the ground, the White Rabbit jumped up once more and attempted to strike Jabberwock, who had beat his wings to prevent himself from crashing into a wall.

Turning to face his adversary, Jabberwock grabbed the White Rabbit by the head and threw him down; causing the latter to slide across the floor on his back. Quickly, the White Rabbit got up on his feet with a backflip. Jabberwock flew at him and thrust one hand forward, only to have his attack blocked. Bringing his feet back onto the ground, Jabberwock started clashing fists with the White Rabbit.

"What do you intend to accomplish from killing Jack and the Blood Maidens?" the White Rabbit, his fist pushing against Jabberwock's, demanded.

"I told you, it is for revenge," A malevolent grin spread across Jabberwock's face. "Once I am done with the accursed ones, I shall lay waste to all life on the surface. And I will not stop until all is turned into nothingness!"

Whilst Jabberwock and the White Rabbit exchanged words, Jack and his company were struggling against their opponent. The Marchens that were summoned by the Nightmare seemed endless in number. Though they vanished into smoke after getting killed, the Nightmare continued summoning more of them. Alice and Red Riding Hood jumped towards the Nightmare and attempted to strike it. However, the Nightmare deflected their attacks by emitting a sound wave from it's pipe. The force of the deflection was such that the two landed on the ground with a thud. Before they could get up, their bodies were swarmed by the Marchens. At this, Alice yelped while Red Riding Hood tried to pry the Marchens off herself.

"Red Riding Hood! Alice!" Jack rushed to the two girls to help them. Noticing her friends' predicament; Cinderella, who had kicked away some Marchens, called out to Rapunzel.

"Rappy!"

"Okay!" Wasting no time, Rapunzel lifted her weapon; a hammer larger than herself, and struck the ground, creating a small tremor which startled the Marchens and rendered them immobile momentarily. Seizing this opportunity; Alice and Red Riding Hood, with Jack's help, shook off the Marchens that were on their bodies. He then led the two girls away to safety and regrouped with the rest of his companions.

"Are you two alright?" Jack asked Alice and Red Riding Hood.

"I'm fine. No sweat, Jack," Red Riding Hood replied with a smile.

"I am fine as well. Thank you, Jack," Alice said gratefully.

"Ugh, there's no end to them!" Thumbelina griped as those next to her watched the Nightmare; the Marchens huddled around it, standing a few feet away from her group. "Where exactly are these Marchens coming from?"

"It appears that Nightmare is summoning them using the pipe in it's hands," Kaguya referred to the Nightmare's pipe. "So long as it has that, fighting the Nightmare will be a bother,"

"An astute observation, Kaguya," Gretel remarked. "On top of that, it's powers are derived from the pipe itself. Destroying it should give us an advantage,"

"How are we supposed to do that when we got those things to deal with?" Card-Three pointed to the Marchens.

"Worry not! I, the great Hameln, have just the thing for a time like this!" From out of her blouse's collar, Hameln pulled out her weapon, a white whistle hung around her neck, and displayed it proudly.

"Is that… a whistle?" Card-Two and his teammates stared at Hameln's weapon; all of them, save Leader, looking puzzled.

"How is that going to help us?" asked Card-Four.

"I see," Coming to a realization, Red Riding Hood grinned. "Alright, Hameln. Show that Nightmare what you've got!"

"Acknowledged! Now, behold as I display my prowess!" Walking ahead of her company, Hameln held her whistle close to her mouth. All at her side watched as she stopped in front of their enemies and stood still. Noticing this, the White Rabbit and Jabberwock, whom are currently a short distance away from Jack's team, paused to look at Hameln.

"What's she going to do?" asked Card-One as he and the other police officers looked at Hameln curiously.

"Well, just watch," Red Riding Hood said with a smile. The Nightmare and Marchens, remaining at their spot, gazed at Hameln. Soon, the Nightmare played it's pipe, commanding the Marchens to advance slowly towards Hameln.

"Hey, look out!" Card-Four called out. Right when the Marchens were a few steps away from Hameln, she blew into her whistle, causing them to halt. Pausing for a second, Hameln played a musical tune akin to that played in a marching band. The Marchens, hearing her whistle's melody, became enthralled and encircled themselves around the Blood Maiden. The Nightmare responded by playing it's pipe in an attempt to intercept Hameln's tune and regain control of them.

What ensued next was a musical showdown between Hameln and the Nightmare. As both of them kept playing their respective instruments, it was evident that Hameln's melody proved superior against the Nightmare's. The more the Nightmare played, the more it's melody became overpowered by Hameln's. Continuing to blow her whistle, Hameln walked aside; the Marchens giving way to her and following the Blood Maiden from behind. Everyone was then greeted by the sight of her leading the Marchens, in a manner similar to the Pied Piper of Hamelin, to the room's entrance.

"Amazing…" Card-Three and the other members of his unit were awed by Hameln's action. As for the Nightmare, it was about to move towards the Marchens; still trying to get them back to it's side. The minute it did, Red Riding Hood quickly spoke to her companions.

"Everyone, the Nightmare's distracted! Now's our chance!" Red Riding Hood raised her weapon and ran ahead. Jack and the other Blood Maidens, followed by Arika and Leader's unit, did the same. Reaching their opponent, Alice and Red Riding Hood swiftly cut off the legs beneath the Nightmare's throne; bringing it down to the ground. Before the Nightmare could do anything, Rapunzel smashed it's pipe with her hammer. She and the other Blood Maidens then proceeded to attack it from all directions. The members of Leader's unit joined in, firing their weapons at the Nightmare. Jack and Arika stood by the side, ready to protect their friends whenever necesssary.

During all of this, Hameln had let the Marchens out the gate and proceeded to join her friends. By the time she arrived, the Nightmare was already defeated, it's body crumbling into ashes. The White Rabbit and Jabberwock watched as those at Jack's side enjoyed a brief moment of respite.

"That was awesome!" Card-One said to Hameln in amazement. "How did you bring those things away just by blowing a whistle?"

"That Nightmare was controlling the Marchens using the power of song. And as music is my forte, all I needed to do was fight fire with fire. An eye for an eye, a song for a song," Hameln beamed with pride. "Impressive, don't you think?"

"I couldn't agree more!" Cinderella said in delight. "That was indeed a spectacular display of your abilities!"

"And thanks to Hameln, all that's left…" Red Riding Hood and her company brought their attention to Jabberwock. "…is him," The draconic entity's expression seemed blank. Deep down though, a sense of disbelief was etched into his very self.

"It's you against us, Jabberwock," Thumbelina said to the entity. "It doesn't matter what you do, we'll beat you down like we did to the Nightmare," Upon hearing this, Jabberwock's heart filled with anger.

"How many more of my kind must you kill?" he asked Jack and the Blood Maidens. "Does it really satisfy you to commit such an act?!"

"Huh?" Jack was puzzled at Jabberwock's sudden outburst.

"You have murdered Marchens and Nightmares, deeming them to be enemies of humanity! Why do you wish to disrupt our lives when we seek to help humanity itself?"

"What do you mean 'help' humanity?" Red Riding Hood asked in disagreement. "The Marchens caught and tortured people! How is that called 'helping' at all?"

"We sought to grow our home, the Jail, in order to create a world where one can live on unbridled instinct-A world where the living can indulge in their greatest pleasures without restriction! For that purpose, we captured humans; inflicted pain on them and in turn, fed and nurtured the Jail,"

"What's he getting into all of a sudden?" Card-Three asked.

"So, to form a utopia, you drew the blood of the innocent?" the White Rabbit questioned Jabberwock.

"Indeed. It was a necessary measure to attain our objective. But, that is no longer the case. And it's all because of you!" Jabberwock pointed at Jack and the Blood Maidens furiously. "You, that are monsters cursed with the blood of our kind, have been a thorn by our side. Had you not existed, we would have realized our goal long ago. The only thing that we have left is vengeance,"

"For that, I shall kill all of you! After that, I will kill all that live on the surface!" Jabberwock gave a soft wicked laugh. "That's right. I'll destroy everything! That is our only purpose! All that matters is to bring the world into oblivion!" Those hearing Jabberwock, particularly the members of Leader's unit, were unnerved.

"You're insane," Cinderella remarked.

"We don't care about all of that!" Thumbelina said impatiently. "All we want is Towa. Give him back to us now!"

"Dear sister, please calm down!" a concerned Snow White spoke.

"In the end, you intend on killing me like how you did to my kind," Jabberwock's tone was calm yet serious. "Very well. If that is how it is, I will bring death to all of you first!" Suddenly, a purple aura arose from beneath him, it's intensity such that a sense of caution and dread was instilled in the hearts of his enemies.

"W-What is this?" Thumbelina felt worried. "I'm feeling really bad all of a sudden,"

"Be careful," the White Rabbit warned. "I sense a terrifying power within Jabberwock,"

"Perceptive. And I shall first demonstrate it…" Jabberwock looked at the White Rabbit. "…on you," To everybody's surprise, the former dashed toward the latter at blurring speed. Before the White Rabbit could react, he was sent flying into the northwest pillar with a punch from Jabberwock.

"Mr. Shiro!" Jack along with a few of the Blood Maidens called out. Having dealt with one opponent, Jabberwock focused his eyes on Jack's side. "You are next," Pointing menacingly at Jack and his companions, Jabberwock glared at them.

"All units, defensive positions!" At Leader's command, he and his team members lined themselves up in front of Jack, Arika and the Blood Maidens. They then directed their shotguns at Jabberwock.

"No, wait! It's dangerous to-" In the midst of warning Leader's unit, Arika watched in shock as Jabberwock rushed forward and swiped one hand upward; unleashing a force that sent Leader and his teammates flying over the rest of Jack's group. Leader's team was sent crashing onto the ground in front of the gate.

"Oh, no!" Jack exclaimed as he and his friends turned to look at Leader's unit. During this moment, Cinderella and Rapunzel brought their attention back to Jabberwock.

"Everybody, we must strike!" Cinderella ran to Jabberwock.

"Grr… Get him!" Lifting her hammer, Rapunzel followed suit. The two Blood Maidens launched themselves at Jabberwock, with Cinderella launching a kick and Rapunzel swinging her hammer. To both their surprise, Jabberwock blocked the two girls' attacks effortlessly. Grabbing Cinderella's leg and Rapunzel's hammer, the draconic entity lifted and threw his attackers to the left and right respectively. Both Blood Maidens hit the ground hard with Rapunzel crying out a loud, "Ouchy!"

"Thumby, take Snow White and Sleepy and tend to the injured!" Red Riding Hood instructed, as she and the people close to her readied themselves to fight. "We'll take Jabberwock on!"

"But, Sister Red, it's dangerous if we don't fight together!" a worried Snow White spoke out.

"Don't worry about us. The wounded need to be protected. Go quickly!" Alice said to Snow White briefly.

"Alright, don't overdo it! Snow White, Sleepy, come on!" Thumbelina called for her sisters to follow her.

"O-Okay dear sister. Be safe, everyone!" Snow White and her sisters attended to Leader's team whilst the others, led by Alice, charged at Jabberwock. Joined by Cinderella and Rapunzel, who got back onto their feet, the Blood Maidens took the fight to the middle of the room. Jack and Arika moved across the battlefield speedily, watching over their friends.

Compared to their previous opponent, Jabberwock proved to be a challenge for the Blood Maidens. Any attack they made on Jabberwock was either avoided or deflected. Cinderella engaged in hand-to-hand combat with him, only to get knocked aback by a single punch. Speeding atop Bamboo No. 1; Kaguya attempted to ram into Jabberwock, the latter evading her by simply retreating a step back. At this moment, the White Rabbit had joined in the fight, jumping towards Jabberwock to land a punch on him. Blocking the White Rabbit's punch, Jabberwock pushed him aside.

From behind Jabberwock, Gretel spun around once and swung her scythe horizontally towards him. As if he had anticipated this, Jabberwock evaded her blade by flying up into the air. The entity was now hovering above Jack and his friends, whom are gathering quickly at one spot. Meanwhile, at Leader's team's side, Snow White and her sisters were helping the police officers up onto their feet while treating any minor wounds they suffered. At the same time, they were watching the battle taking place at Jack's side.

"He's fast!" Red Riding Hood said to her company as everyone looked at Jabberwock.

"He has become more powerful compared to when I fought him previously," the White Rabbit cautioned his team. "Be on your guard,"

"You declare to defeat me but, are unable to lay a finger on my being. In that case, allow me to bring an end to this match!" Jabberwock raised his right hand, dark flames enveloping it and blazing intensely. The flames transformed into a huge burning sphere which remained stationary above his palm.

"What is that?!" Jack exclaimed as all at his and Leader's side were astonished at the sight of the fiery sphere.

"Everybody, stand behind me! I shall protect all of you!" Arika said to her companions.

"It is pointless to resist. Perish now!" Saying this, Jabberwock hurled the ball of fire down to Jack's team. In response, Arika conjured a white dome-shaped barrier which covered the people at her side, who stood behind her. Unfortunately, the barrier was not strong enough to fend off Jabberwock's attack. To the shock of those at Leader's side, a large explosion occurred at Jack and his company's spot. All of them watched in horror as their friends yelled in pain and were sent flying to different directions. Jack, Red Riding Hood, Cinderella and Rapunzel landed next to the southwest pillar; the White Rabbit, Arika, Kaguya, Gretel and Hameln ended up in between the northwest and southwest pillars and Alice crashed on the floor next to the southeast pillar.

Jabberwock landed himself down a few steps away from Alice, watching his opponents lying down on the ground. Thanks to Arika's protection, Jack and his friends did not suffer any major injuries. But, the force of Jabberwock's attack debilitated them to the extent where most of them struggled to get up. Kaguya leaned onto an overturned Bamboo No. 1 whereas the White Rabbit brought himself up on one knee. Seeing this, Jabberwock began to gloat over his enemies' predicament.

"Did I not mention? It is pointless to face me. Your only option is to give your lives up to me!" Just as Jabberwock finished, a pinkish arrow flew towards him. Sweeping it away with one hand, he saw that Sleeping Beauty; her bow aimed at him, had arrived with her sisters to fight. The trio was standing not too far away from Alice.

"Stop right there, Jabberwock!" Thumbelina said. "You're going to pay for what you did to our friends!"

"Thumbelina, don't fight him!" Alice said. "The three of you cannot take him alone!"

"He's too strong! You need to get back!" Red Riding Hood brought herself up on one knee and planted her scissors into the ground.

"No! Snow White will not let him hurt anyone further!" Snow White protested.

"Protect…. Everyone…" Sleeping Beauty's tone was quiet yet resolute.

"How brave of you to stand up for your friends," Walking towards Alice, Jabberwock smirked. "However, I have no need to attend to the three of you. Instead, I shall do this," The next thing to happen was Jabberwock grabbing Alice's hair and lifting the Blood Maiden over his head. He slammed her into the floor hard; making Alice let out a pained cry.

"Alice!" Jack cried out as he and everybody else became appalled at Jabberwock's actions. Even Gretel, whose demeanor was usually neutral, hid a feeling of dismay. Although she was downed, Alice mustered enough strength to pierce Jabberwock with her blade. The latter grabbed it and kicked the Blood Maiden away. Alice was sent rolling across the floor and ended up beside Jack.

"Alice!" Jack moved close to the injured Blood Maiden and held her in his hands.

"How horrible…" Kaguya muttered.

"Instead of fighting us head on you attack an already injured person?" Thumbelina said to Jabberwock in disbelief.

"How low have you fallen in order to do such a thing?" the White Rabbit asked Jabberwock.

"As low as I need to be," Jabberwock, now steps away from Jack and Alice, replied. "I have mentioned that I will bring an end to this fight. And I will do anything, even if it includes trampling on those beneath me!" Pointing to the two youths, he added, "First, I shall start by killing the both of you. Then, the rest of you are next!"

"No, I won't let you hurt anyone!" Jack stood in front of Alice, the latter seated on the ground with her blade lying next to her. "I'll protect everybody even if it means giving up my own life!"

"Jack, don't!" Alice spoke out loud with concern. "You cannot fight him. It's reckless!"

"I know!" Jack glanced at Alice. "But, I can't let anybody get hurt anymore!"

"That's crazy! You can't even fight as well as we can!" Thumbelina's words were mostly true. Throughout Jack and the Blood Maidens' past battles in the Jail, the former mainly supported the girls with the use of his Mary Gun. When it comes to actual combat though, the best he can do is use his body as a shield to protect them.

"Even still, I'll do it. Because my friends are important to me. Especially Alice. I care for her more than anything else. So, that's why, even if it's dangerous, I'll fight!" Jack raised the Mary Gun, his face displaying determination that was unlike any that he had ever shown before.

"Jack…" Alice lifted her eyebrows. She and the rest of the Blood Maidens, along with Arika and the White Rabbit, felt surprised yet impressed upon hearing Jack's words.

From their spot, Leader's unit was watching the conversation between their comrades and Jabberwock. They were observing the situation in order to plan their next move.

"What should we do, captain? Do we fall back?" an anxious Card-Three asked Leader. For some reason, Leader was unable to answer.

"Captain!" Card-Four urged. Leader's mind was occupied by two thoughts-On one hand, retreating was the most rational option at this moment. On the other, there was a need to protect Arika and her companions even if it meant fighting a losing battle. Deep down, the police captain was conflicted over what's to be done.

"It seems you wish to hasten your own death. If such is your desire, I shall grant it this instant!" Jack braced himself as Jabberwock lifted one hand. To his and the others' astonishment, the draconic entity lunged towards him in the blink of an eye. Before Jack could react, he found that Jabberwock thrust his hand forward. The force of his attack was such that it could potentially kill Jack in an instant. And it was only a matter of seconds before Jack gets hit by it!

"Jack!" Alice cried out in horror. All at Jack's side widened their eyes. Everything was happening so fast. So fast that Thumbelina and her sisters were unable to act promptly. Right when the worst was about to transpire, something unexpected took place. From Jabberwock's left, a young man with red hair ran and launched himself at the draconic being.

"OHHHHH, YEEEEEAH!" With a passionate cry, the young man delivered a flying kick to Jabberwock's head, sending the latter sliding on his feet a few steps away to the back. Jack and his companions were surprised to see that the person was none other than Hatter. Behind him were March, Drake and Hinata. Prior to Jabberwock attacking Jack, the four youths had entered the room and joined Leader's unit. Despite being told to leave the room, they ran to Jack's side, with Hatter taking the lead and managing to intercept Jabberwock in the nick of time.

"Yo, fellas!" Hatter greeted the people at Jack's side, whom are staring at him. "We here to help and ready to kick some a-" Noticing that most of Jack's companions were down, the redhead added, "God****! What happened to your ladies, Jack, my man?"

"Hatter?!" Thumbelina exclaimed. "What are you doing here? Don't tell me you came all the way here to fool around!"

"Whatchu talking about, Thumby?" Hatter replied with a frown. "I come bustin in here like the Kool-Aid Man and that's all you hafta say?"

"Hatter, the Kool-Aid Man breaks through walls. You didn't go through any walls so, you're not him," stated Drake.

"But, I said his catchphrase-"

"You!" Jabberwock said to Hatter's company, irritated. "I did not expect you riffraff to show your faces again! What brings you here this time?!"

"Hinata, you go help Jack and his pals. Me and my bros will handle Jabberwock," Hatter spoke quickly.

"What do you mean you'll handle him? Are you out of your mind?!" Thumbelina said in disapproval.

"Just go, Thumby!" Hatter raised one hand toward the red headed Blood Maiden. "We got this. Plus, I can see your friends are a little worse for wear here," Even though Thumbelina found Hatter's statement to be rash, the tone in his voice exhibited a calmness which made her not say anything further.

"Alright, fine," Thumbelina looked at Hatter and his trio. "You guys better not do anything silly!"

"Rest assured, we won't," March replied. With that said, Thumbelina and her sisters, along with Hinata, went to regroup with their friends in between the northwest and southwest pillars. Jack helped Alice up and the duo followed soon after. At the same time, Hatter's trio conversed with Jabberwock.

"Hey, man," Hatter started off with a good natured tone. "I dunno what happened inside here, but, Jack and the ladies look like they had a bad time,"

"Those youngsters were no match for me," Jabberwock responded. "More importantly, I shall silence the three of you for interfering with my fight,"

"With what? You ain't got nothing to silence us with," Hatter taunted. "Besides, quit what you're doing, man. You ain't cut out for this s***,"

"Do not tell me what to do!" Jabberwock shouted. "I will do what it is necessary in order to fulfill my goal!" Jack's group and Leader's unit were watching the exchange between Hatter's trio and Jabberwock. By this time, all at Jack's side whom were previously weakened were able to stand up thanks to support from Hinata and Snow White.

"Tell you? I ain't talking to you, Jabby," Hatter's next words caught his listeners' attention, particularly Jack's group and Jabberwock.

"What?"

"Oh, you didn't hear me? I'm not talking to you. I'm talking to the man whom you kidnapped and is inside you right now. That's right. I'm talking about Towa. And speaking of which…" As he talked, Hatter's expression turned serious. Raising his voice, he added, "Yo, Towa! I dunno what kinda man you are. But, if you really are a man, you gotta bust yo self outta Jabby there!"

"You can hear me and I know you can. I don't really get how you ended up looking like this but, your friends are waiting for you. Waiting for you to come back to them!" Hatter referred to Jack's group as he continued. "So, stop playing and break yourself out of there! Show Jabby who's in charge!"

"If you think you can free Towa by words alone, your efforts are meaningless. Enough talk. I shall deal with you right this instant!" Jabberwock stepped forward and flew towards Hatter's trio.

"Look out!" Jack cried out. Jabberwock ignited one of his fists with dark flames. Just when he was about to thrust it forward, March moved ahead of Hatter and raised one finger.

"One moment please," Hearing this, Jabberwock turned curious. Stopping mid-air, he retreated a few steps away from March. Jack and his friends were puzzled over his action.

"What is it now?" an irritated Jabberwock said.

"Let us not indulge in violence, shall we?" March smiled amicably. "Before we do anything, how about a magic trick?"

"What?" Jabberwock asked. All eyes were now on March as he brought a handkerchief out of his shirt. "It won't be long. I promise," Still smiling, March spoke in an assuring manner. "Let us start with something simple," Waving the handkerchief, the young man turned it into a long black and white rod, the kind typically used by stage magicians. Jack's group became surprised at the sight of March's trick. Rapunzel, in particular, was filled with childlike awe.

"A simple trick, I see," Jabberwock didn't seem impressed by March's action. "And what may be your point in displaying such a move?"

"Oh, you did not like it?" March spun the rod with his right hand. "Perhaps, you would like to see something more…" In an instant, the rod changed into a bouquet of flowers. "…beautiful?"

"Hm?" Jabberwock's curiosity was piqued.

"Or perhaps, you wish to witness something more…" Reaching his free hand into the bouquet, March pulled out a deck of playing cards. Tossing it aside, the cards floated around him in a mystifying manner. "…fascinating?" Jack, the Blood Maidens and Hinata could not believe their eyes. They had seen March's magic previously but, what they're seeing took the cake for them. Even Leader's unit members were stupefied by March's magic trick. As for the White Rabbit and Arika, both felt fascinated and surprised respectively.

"Incredible…" Cinderella muttered to herself.

"For you to be able to pull off such a display," Jabberwock said to March solemnly. "You must not be human,"

"Why I am but a mere human," March chuckled lightly. Lifting his free hand up, the cards stacked themselves atop his palm. "More importantly, the real trick begins now,"

"What do you mean?" At this time, the cards around March have reassembled into a complete deck.

"Did you not notice?" March kept the deck of cards under his clothes. "That one of us is missing?" Jabberwock scanned his surroundings. It was at that moment that he realized Hatter was nowhere to be seen. Jack's team and Leader's unit also came to the same realization.

"Huh? Where did Hatter go?" Snow White wondered.

"What is this?" Jabberwock looked to his left and right hurriedly. "Where did that mortal disappear to?"

"Right here, jacka**!" Turning around, Jabberwock saw Hatter standing a walk away from him. The red headed boy threw a small reddish sack at Jabberwock's eyes. The sack burst, releasing a cloud of red smoke that enveloped the entity's face. To Jack and his friends' surprise, Jabberwock began to give a loud cry of pain. His eyes felt as if they were stung by something hot. As he staggered backwards from the pain, Hatter; March and Drake rushed to hold him in place. Hatter and March, having tossed his bouquet aside, grabbed onto each of his arms whereas Drake held down Jabberwock's wings.

"You!" Trying to break free from the three boys, he shouted, "What did you do to me?!"

"How did ya like that, Jabby? That was a chili bomb! Stings ten times worse than a bee. Especially when it hits you in the face!" With March and Drake's help, Hatter made Jabberwock face Jack's team. "Arika!" he then called. "Use your powers or whatever mumbo jumbo you got to get Towa outta this freak!"

"Alright!" Arika flew ahead and landed in front of Jabberwock. Placing her hand a few inches away from Jabberwock's chest, the angelic girl emitted a white light out of it. The light gradually enveloped the being until it covered his entire body.

"What are you doing?" Jabberwock said to Arika.

"I am now going to purge you out of the man who serves as your vessel," Arika replied solemnly. "From here onwards, I shall sever the bond between you and him,"

"No, you cannot do this!" shouted an angry Jabberwock.

"It must be done. Your existence cannot be allowed to remain. The time has come. Let us end this," The light on Jabberwock's body began to glow. Everyone soon saw Jabberwock letting out a long cry of rage. Minutes later, Towa's face emerged on the being's chest. The sight of the man's face led to Hatter exclaiming out a loud, "God****!"

"STOP!" Jabberwock yelled in anger. "It cannot end like this!" Soon after, Towa's neck came out of his chest. "NO!" All eyes were affixed on Jabberwock. Slowly but surely, Towa's unconscious form was becoming separated from him.

"It's working. Towa's coming out of Jabberwock!" stated Red Riding Hood.

"That's good. If this keeps up, we can save him," Alice stared at Jabberwock intently.

"Please… Please let this work…" Closing her eyes, Snow White clasped her hands in prayer and held them close to her mouth. Meanwhile, Leader's unit witnessed Arika's power, their faces filled with wonder and surprise.

"I don't know what's going on but, things seem to be going fine. Right, captain?" Card-Two glanced at Leader.

"It is too soon to tell," Leader replied solemnly. "For now, we stay still," By this time, Towa's upper body was slowly emerging out of Jabberwock. The latter made angered grunts as he tried to free himself from his captors.

"Arika! How much longer will this take?" Thumbelina asked.

"I'm almost done," Arika answered. "Just a little more to go…" In the midst of her work, the White Rabbit noticed something. Observing the corner of Arika's face, he could make out her strained expression.

"Arika, stop!" the White Rabbit's words grabbed Jack and the Blood Maidens' attention. "You are exerting yourself! At the rate this is going, you may end up exhausting all of your power!"

"It's alright!" Arika, having made Towa's upper body come out of Jabberwock completely, replied. "It will be over-" Suddenly, the angelic girl felt something was off. Her divine form vanished instantly much to the surprise of everybody, especially Jack's team. In the process, Arika's white robe and wings were replaced by a grey tattered robe. Immediately after that, the light on Jabberwock's body faded and Towa ended up returning into the former's body.

"What the…? What's going on?!" asked Red Riding Hood. The minute she finished speaking, Jabberwock knocked Hatter, March and Drake away from himself. The three boys were sent rolling to different directions; March to the west, Drake to the north and Hatter to the southeast. Soon after that, the draconic being grabbed Arika by the neck making her let out a startled yelp.

"Arika!" Alice called out.

"Hey, let her go!" Thumbelina shouted.

"You dare to deceive me and attempt to end my life?!" Jabberwock squeezed Arika's neck causing the girl to moan in pain. "That is unacceptable! For that, you shall die!" Raising a hand, Jabberwock prepared to hit Arika with it.

"No, don't!" Jack pleaded.

"Freeze!" A voice caught Jabberwock's attention. Leader and his unit had arrived at the scene, now standing next to Hatter; who was lying on his stomach. The police officers aimed their shotguns at Jabberwock.

"Let go of the girl," Leader said to Jabberwock seriously.

"You stand up against me even after having been defeated by my hand?" Jabberwock mocked the police unit. "An admirable yet foolish act indeed,"

"Jabby, you listen to me and put Arika down!" Hatter got up onto his feet and pointed one finger at Jabberwock.

"Did I not mention for you to not tell me what to do?" Jabberwock shifted his gaze from Hatter to Arika. "No matter. The girl's life ends here!" Dark flames engulfed his free hand. To the horror of his enemies, Jabberwock thrust it toward Arika. His act was so fast that no one was able to react on time.

"Arika!" Hatter shouted. Suddenly, Jabberwock's hand stopped inches away from Arika, the flames on it extinguished. The being stood rigidly as if something was preventing him from moving.

"W-What's going on?" Red Riding Hood asked curiously. Even everybody else shared her curiosity. The next thing they knew, Jabberwock began to look distraught.

"What… What is this?"


	12. Chapter 11

The afternoon in Wonder Ville continued with the town's police force still patrolling the streets and keeping watch over the town itself. Two policemen are currently stationed at the barricade facing the western road. Inside the Dawn truck, Haru and his team gathered in a circle, discussing their next course of action. Earlier, Hatter's trio and Hinata left them in order to join Jack's group. Minutes passed since then. The group of four was now contemplating on entering Shinzo Academy.

"I know they said it'll be fine but, I've got a bad feeling about this, Boss," Clara spoke to Haru.

"You're not the only one thinking that," replied Haru. "We should probably head in there to help,"

"If we do that, there will be no one left to watch over this side," said Miko. "There are the police but, they will not suffice,"

"You're not saying that we should just wait here, right?!" a worried Clara said.

"Calm down, Clara," Major said calmly. "I understand how you feel. For now, let's give them a little more time. Any longer than that, we'll go into the school,"

"I suppose we have no other options should the time come," Out of concern, Miko frowned. "Let us pray that Jack and his friends return safely,"

"Yeah, let's hope for the best," Moving his eyes to the left, Haru muttered to himself, "Jack, everyone, you guys better come back alive,"

* * *

Jabberwock took a step backward, letting go of Arika in the process. His right hand began to move on it's own and clutch his left wrist. As the entity tried to comprehend his situation, the White Rabbit and his company moved to Arika. Hatter's trio, followed by Leader's unit, quickly joined them. Everyone was standing inches away from Jabberwock, wondering what was happening to him.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Jabberwock demanded. "Why are you awake?!" Towa's face emerged out of the being's chest. The man's eyes were now open and he was attempting to free himself from Jabberwock.

"Towa?!" Red Riding Hood cried out as she and the rest became surprised.

"Give it up, Jabberwock!" Towa spoke from within Jabberwock's chest. "It's over!"

"No, it is not!" Jabberwock released his left wrist. "Return to my being at once! You cannot resist me!" At this, Towa's face was slowly getting absorbed into Jabberwock's chest.

"Yes, I can!" Towa grunted out loud as he resisted Jabberwock's effort in reclaiming him.

"So be it. If you wish to resist further, I shall drive you deeper into myself!" Jabberwock placed his right hand on Towa's head and attempted to push it into himself. At that moment, the former's left hand suddenly grabbed his right and pulled it hard. Within seconds, Jabberwock's right hand was severed. The draconic entity howled in pain as pink blood gushed out of his right arm and splattered the ground. All who witnessed this were further surprised.

"What are you doing?!" Jabberwock shouted as his right hand was tossed aside and left to vanish into thin air. "You accepted me in order to become stronger! Without me, you'll never be free from your fears! You need me!"

"It's true. I wanted to be stronger. But, I realized just doing so won't change the past. And that's why I don't need you anymore. It's time to end this!" Letting out a long grunt, Towa began pushing himself out of his prison.

"No, don't do this!" Jabberwock implored. Not listening to him, Towa continued his efforts. By this time, he had brought his arms and upper body out of Jabberwock. With his right hand, Towa grabbed and pushed the latter's head. In response, Jabberwock seized Towa's neck in an attempt to choke him. A fierce struggle ensued, with Towa trying to pry his opponent's hand away from his neck and Jabberwock maintaining his grip on Towa. Jack and his group, some of their mouths agape, watched as both wrestled for control over the other.

"This is some "Nutty Professor" s***!" Hatter commented loudly.

"It is not too late," Jabberwock coaxed Towa. "You can have strength beyond anything that you can imagine. With that, you can cut down the nightmares plaguing you for an eternity. Return to me and all this will be a reality!"

"I'm done with all of that!" Towa, despite being gagged, gave a defiant reply. "I already said… It's… over!" Yelling out loud, the man exerted all of his strength in resisting Jabberwock. Soon, Towa's whole being burst out of the entity, causing him to fly towards Jack's team. Swiftly, the White Rabbit stepped ahead and caught him. When everyone gathered to check on Towa, Jabberwock staggered backward. To his horror, he found that his body was breaking down. Every part of him, from his head to his limbs, looked as if they were dissolving.

"No, NO!" Jabberwock's feet melted into a puddle of black liquid. Everyone observed his form gradually dissolving into the pool beneath him. Hatter in particular, was put off by the sight of Jabberwock melting to the extent of saying a soft, "D***,"

"LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE!" Jabberwock shouted with rage. "YOU HAVE CONDEMNED US! ROBBED US OF OUR LIVES!"

"Jabberwock," Alice, her face appearing solemn, walked forward. "There is no point in continuing your actions," Facing Jabberwock, the Blood Maiden added. "To be honest, I pity you,"

"What?" a surprised Jabberwock replied as his lower body disappeared into the pool.

"You have been warped by your desire for vengeance. Because of that all you can think of is killing," Alice continued. "But, killing isn't everything. It only leads to endless bloodshed. I know this through my experience as a Blood Maiden,"

"So, that's why I'd like to say, let us put an end to this peacefully," Alice said in a comforting manner. "There is no need to be consumed by revenge anymore. Please rest and pass on without regrets,"

"Alice…" Jack looked at his childhood friend. He had never seen Alice show sympathy to an enemy especially one which she had fought many times with her friends. Despite this, Jack and the others found her act admirable.

"Are you trying to mock me?" Jabberwock responded with hostility. "Do you think you can make me step down with words alone? I will not accept this! And I shall prove this NOW!"

"Huh?" Alice lifted her brows. Suddenly, the dark puddle underneath Jabberwock moved towards the Blood Maiden quickly.

"Alice, look out!" Snow White shouted. Before Alice could react, the black liquid crept up to her feet. She let out a startled cry as the dark substance made it's way up her legs. Jack and his friends became shocked as Jabberwock's amorphous form enveloped Alice.

"Alice!" Jack cried out.

"I will devour you until you are reduced to nothingness!" Jabberwock's head loomed over Alice menacingly. "Then, I shall do the same to your friends!"

"No! Let go!" Alice yelled as she struggled to free herself. The more she did though, the more her movements were restricted. Jabberwock's shapeless form clung to every part of Alice like a strong adhesive, rendering her immobile.

"Alice!" Looking at Jabberwock, Jack said, "Let her go!"

"That's right! Unhand m'lady at once or you shall burn in h***fire!" Hameln threatened.

"Do you think you can harm me?" Jabberwock smirked, his body covering all but Alice's head. "Especially since the life of your friend is in my hands?"

"No, but, I can do this!" Holstering the Mary Gun, Jack rushed to Alice. Wasting no time, he put his hands on the substance enveloping Alice and clawed at it repeatedly.

"Jack, stay back!" Alice said with concern. "You'll be in danger!"

"No!" Jack responded, his hands prying away Jabberwock's bindings bit by bit. "I won't leave you behind!"

"A futile effort," Jabberwock said condescendingly. "If you wish to join her, I will grant your wish!"

"Wha?!" Before Jack knew it, Jabberwock began to envelop him as well. "Argh!" All watched in shock as both Jack and Alice were instantly engulfed by the draconic being's shapeless form. Where the duo was, a large black blob appeared. The huge mass made squelching sounds as if it was digesting it's prey.

"No!" Snow White screamed in terror.

"Oh my G**!" a horrified Hatter exclaimed. "We gotta get Jack and Alice outta that thing!"

"In that case, I shall burn it down with my flames!" Hameln conjured a fireball on one hand.

"Wait!" the White Rabbit stopped her. "If you do that, you may end up injuring Jack and Alice in the process!"

"Then, what we're going to do?!" Thumbelina said frantically.

"Stay calm and listen," the White Rabbit addressed everyone coolly. "I have a plan,"

* * *

Jack and Alice found themselves encased within their enemy's formless body. The two were facing each other directly, every part of them except their heads having been enveloped by Jabberwock's form. Black vein-like growths crept up onto their necks, a sign that they would be devoured sooner or later.

"Alice, hang on," Jack assured as he tried to break free. "I'll get you out!"

"Why did you do that?!" Alice cried out. "Don't you realize you'll get killed?!"

"It doesn't matter!" Jack replied quickly. "I'm not going to let Jabberwock kill you! Even if I have to sacrifice myself!"

"You're stupid!" Alice shot back at Jack. "Why go so far?! You promised not to burden yourself too much!" Hearing his friend's words, Jack fell silent.

"Alice, I know I can be reckless at times," The boy spoke calmly, the black veins having reached his chin. "But, I have a reason for that. Can you hear what I have to say, please?"

"W-What is it?" Alice asked, the veins having reached her chin as well.

"Y-You see… I…" Jack started to utter some words to Alice. Upon hearing them, the latter's eyes widened. What she heard was something that she found hard to believe.

"Jack?" Alice was nearly speechless. "Do you really…?"

"Yes, Alice. I do," Right when Jack finished speaking, he heard a sound from his right. Turning to look at the source, he and Alice soon saw the White Rabbit tearing his way through the blob imprisoning the duo.

"Jack, Alice!" the White Rabbit reached the two youths, his hands pressed against the blob's walls.

"Mr. Shiro?!" Jack was surprised upon seeing the White Rabbit.

"It's dangerous, Mr. Shiro! Please get back!" Alice spoke.

"Don't worry. I will get the both of you out. Hang on tight," The White Rabbit put his hands on Jack and Alice's bodies. He then turned his head around and called someone. "Rapunzel!" Nodding in response to the White Rabbit, Rapunzel stepped in front of the blob. Her hair extended forward and split into multiple tendrils which pierced through it. Inside the blob, the tendrils wrapped and secured themselves around the White Rabbit's body and limbs like ropes.

At the same time, the other Blood Maidens; starting with Red Riding Hood and ending with Kaguya, lined up behind Rapunzel. Each of them held onto the person in front from behind. On the left and right of the line were Leader's unit and Hatter's trio, Towa, Hinata and Arika respectively. All of them were standing by, preparing to provide any assistance to the Blood Maidens.

"Okay, on the count of three. One, two… Pull!" At Red Riding Hood's words, Rapunzel began to tug on the White Rabbit hard with her hair. Her friends started pulling from behind, grunting loudly in the process. Concurrently, the White Rabbit pulled onto Jack and Alice's trapped forms using his hands.

"Man, now this is like something right out of "The Blob"!" Hatter remarked while shaking his head a little.

"Everyone! You can do it!" Hinata cheered the Blood Maidens. Just then, Jabberwock's disfigured upper half emerged from atop the blob. "It is useless! You cannot prevent your friends from becoming fodder for my own self!" The draconic entity mocked the Blood Maidens.

"We won't let you take Jack and Alice!" Thumbelina shouted from the center of the line, her sisters behind her.

"That's right! We've won a game of tug of war so, we're not going to lose here!" Red Riding Hood said.

"In that case, all I have to do is break your spirit!" Jabberwock raised his hand and prepared to attack. Just as he did, the entity was hit by a gunshot from the side. Card-One, shotgun aimed at his enemy, was standing on the right of the blob with the other members of his unit. "Open fire!" At Leader's command, he and his squad fired their weapons at Jabberwock repeatedly.

"Do not interfere!" Raising one hand towards Leader's unit, Jabberwock made multiple spikes shoot out from the blob. Leader's team members yelled out in pain as his whole unit had their arms and legs pierced. As for Leader, he let out a pained grunt as he and his unit became immobilized due to the spikes holding them in place. Seeing this, the Blood Maidens and Hatter's group were shocked.

"You're next!" Jabberwock brought his attention back to the Blood Maidens. Suddenly, he was hit by something else. This time, it was a chili bomb from Hatter and several playing cards thrown by March. "Jabberwock! Don't you be touching Red and her girl's a****!" Hatter shouted at everyone's enemy.

"Why must you stand in my way?! No matter, your efforts are futile! You cannot do anything!" Jabberwock gathered flames in one hand and hurled them at the Blood Maidens. To the horror of those at Leader and Hatter's side, Red Riding Hood and her company were engulfed in a searing line of fire. The flames did not burn their clothes but, they inflicted excruciating pain on their victims. The Blood Maidens screamed, their grip on each other loosening. Out of concern, Hatter, March and Drake shouted out Thumbelina, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty's names respectively.

"Suffer in the flames of h*** and perish! Once you do, you shall dwell in eternal unrest for being cursed with the blood of my kind!" While Jabberwock spoke, the White Rabbit noticed that Rapunzel's hair was losing it's hold on him. To make matters worse, Jack and Alice are still bound by Jabberwock, their cheeks now covered by black veins. Just when things appeared to have turned out for the worse, a look of determination emerged on Red Riding Hood's face.

"No… We won't die," the brunette fought to maintain her hold on Rapunzel. "Not while we have a friend to save. I've already lost someone dear to me. I'm not going to let that happen anymore! EVER!" Suddenly, Red Riding Hood's eyes turned pink and had white vertically slit pupils. A pinkish aura enveloped her whole self and her hair became white. This caught the eyes of Hatter's group and Leader's unit, surprising most of them. Towa and Arika were not too surprised as they knew Red Riding Hood had entered Massacre Mode, a state that Blood Maidens can attain when they fight. Normally, Massacre Mode occurs when one of them is soaked with a certain amount of Marchen blood. However, Red Riding Hood had entered the aforementioned state with raw emotion alone, something which has never occurred before.

"Alright!" Red Riding Hood sounded ecstatic. "Let's do this!"

"Yeah, we won't lose!" Thumbelina said loudly as she resisted the pain inflicted by Jabberwock's attack.

"Grr… Rapunzel no give up!" The Blood Maidens other than Red Riding Hood underwent Massacre Mode, their transformation dispelling the flames that engulfed them. Witnessing their current forms, the people at Hatter and Leader's side was further surprised, Hatter yelling out a loud, "D*******!" As he did, March remarked on the Blood Maidens' appearance with slight fascination and Hinata asked about what was transpiring.

"PULL!" Hearing Red Riding Hood, the Blood Maidens resumed their efforts in freeing Jack and Alice, their hold on each other stronger than before. The White Rabbit, feeling Rapunzel's hair tightening around him once more, continued tugging onto Jack and Alice. Surely but slowly, the two youngsters were being freed from their prison.

"You attempt to stop me from devouring my enemies?! I will not allow that!" Jabberwock hurled multiple fireballs at the Blood Maidens. The resultant explosions caused those they hit to flinch. Despite that, the Blood Maidens held their ground as if nothing happened.

"What? How is this possible?" A look of disbelief swept across Jabberwock's face. "You should be falling on your knees!" More fireballs were thrown at the Blood Maidens but, the girls remained strong even after getting hit. Feeling desperate to rid himself off his foes, Jabberwock launched an endless barrage of fireballs. One of them exploded beside Gretel's face causing her spectacles to fly away to the side. In the middle of this, the spikes holding up Leader and his unit retracted back into the blob. The police officers save Leader, who fell onto his knees, landed on the ground in sitting positions. As they struggled to recover from their wounds, the officers were stunned to see the Blood Maidens withstanding Jabberwock's assault. Even the people at Hatter's side could not believe what they're seeing.

"Why are you still standing?!" Jabberwock's offense did not stop. "Falter and die already!" By this time, Red Riding Hood and her company were bleeding all over. Regardless, this did not stop them from what they are currently doing.

"We're not going to go down!" Thumbelina yelled defiantly. "Because the one who'll do so… is YOU!" Within seconds, Rapunzel and her friends pulled even harder. The White Rabbit slowly emerged out of the blob. This left Jabberwock stupefied to the extent where he stopped his attack.

"No, you cannot do this!" Soon, the White Rabbit had come out of the blob followed by Jack and Alice. "DON'T!" With a loud grunt, Rapunzel and the Blood Maidens preceding her made one final pull finally freeing their friends whom were encased inside Jabberwock. Upon being released from their bindings, Jack and Alice fell into the White Rabbit's arms. The Blood Maidens behind him reverted to their normal selves, all of them looking tired. Quickly, Hatter's group tended to their friends; Hatter, March, Drake and Hinata to the White Rabbit's side, Towa and Arika to Leader's unit. During this, Jack and Alice moved away from the White Rabbit. Jack was then startled by a hug from Alice.

"Jack, thank goodness!" Alice looked as if she was going to cry. "I'm so glad… So glad that you're safe!"

"I know," Jack put on a light smile as he hugged Alice back. "I'm sorry I worried you, Alice," Just then, Jabberwock retreated a few steps away, his form slowly dissolving once more. "Why must you continue to resist?!" he boomed, gaining his opponents' attention. "I will not accept this! NEVER!" All of a sudden, tentacle shaped appendages sprouted out of his amorphous form and launched themselves towards Jack and Alice.

"Look out!" the White Rabbit pushed the two youths aside. To everybody's dismay, the White Rabbit was pulled back into Jabberwock. Inside the latter's body, the former was being covered in black veins. This time, Jabberwock's hold was stronger compared to when he captured Jack and Alice. The White Rabbit was unable to move a muscle.

"Mr. Shiro!" Snow White called out in fear.

"Fall into despair as I devour your comrade and when you prepare to be consumed next!" Jabberwock spoke malevolently.

"Blast it!" Thumbelina cursed. "Right when we got Jack and Alice out of there!"

"Ugh, I'm so tired…" Red Riding Hood was bending down on one knee. "I think I overdid it…"

"I believe that applies to most of us," True to Gretel's words, some of the Blood Maidens began displaying signs of extreme tiredness. Thumbelina, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty nearly lost their footing prompting Hatter, March and Drake to hold each of them respectively. Kaguya was sitting on the ground, leaning onto Bamboo No. 1. Kneeling next to and watching over her was Hinata. As for the Blood Maidens that were standing on their two feet, they were panting from exhaustion.

"We can't be sittin' on our a**** here!" Hatter urged the more able ones around him. "Let's go get Mr. Shiro!"

"It's dangerous to do so right now!" Towa said.

"What do you mean?" asked Drake.

"We were able to save Jack and Alice thanks to the Blood Maidens' abilities," Towa walked towards Jack's side. "But, since all of them except Alice have used up a lot of their strength and are injured, we lack the manpower to get Mr. Shiro out. It'll be reckless to save him given our situation,"

"Are you saying we're leaving Mr. Shiro inside there?!" Hinata pointed at Jabberwock. "That's not right! We have to save him!"

"I didn't say we're not saving him," replied Towa. "In fact, I will. Let me do it,"

"What? Why?!" Jack was taken aback by Towa's words.

"You know, all this happened because of me. Jabberwock was able to use my body because he took advantage of my past-Of how my parents were killed by Marchens in cold blood. And not to mention how I beat them up so as to relieve myself from the pain of losing my family," Towa appeared solemn. "If anything, I'd like to make up for all the trouble that's happened until now. Even if it endangers my life,"

"You cannot possibly mean that you would sacrifice your own self?!" Cinderella asked.

"Mr. Kadowaki, don't do this!" a worried Alice said. "It is true that you did horrendous things but, that doesn't mean you need to atone for them with your life!"

"Oh, don't worry about me," Towa chuckled lightly. "I may have said all those things but, I won't die so easily. So, sit back and leave this to me, alright?" Saying this, the well-built man stepped up to Jabberwock.

"Mr. Towa…" Snow White forced herself to speak. "Please… don't!" At the same time, Sleeping Beauty shook her head slowly to indicate her disapproval over Towa's decision.

"You must rest, Snow White. Do not force yourself," March held Snow White closely to him.

"But…" Sleeping Beauty was about to speak.

"Please don't strain yourself, Sleeping Beauty," Drake said. "We're all worried about Towa. But, if you push yourself too hard, it won't help anything,"

"Towa, don't do this!" Red Riding Hood said to Towa, the man now facing Jabberwock.

"She is right! You must not forfeit your life unnecessarily!" Hameln called out.

"Don't do it, Towa!" Thumbelina shouted. Despite the Blood Maidens' pleas, Towa focused his eyes on Jabberwock. The man glared at his former captor, his eyes filled with determination.

"Jabberwock, it's time to finish this,"

"What can you possibly do?" Jabberwock sneered. "Perhaps, you wish to take your friend's place and return to me?"

"Sorry, but, that's not going to happen," Towa shook his head. "I told you it's time we ended this. Right here, right now,"

"Very well," Tentacles came out of Jabberwock slowly. "I shall kill your mortal self. Once that is done, your corpse shall serve as my vessel FOREVER!" The moment he finished talking, they swiftly lashed out to Towa.

"Towa!" Most of the people at Jack's side cried out. Anxiety swept over everybody as they watched Towa brace himself. However, the minute the tentacles were an inch away from him, a voice resounded from inside Jabberwock.

"It is not your time yet," To the astonishment of all, Mr. Shiro's body popped out of Jabberwock. The bespectacled man landed on his back next to Towa. "Mr. Shiro!" Wasting no time, Jack and his company attended to him.

"What happened? How were you able to get out?" Alice asked.

"I'll explain later," Mr. Shiro got up on his feet. "For now, take the injured. We must leave!"

"Alright, come on!" Although he and his companions were unsure of what Mr. Shiro said, Towa began gathering everybody and led them away from Jabberwock. Hatter and his trio held their partners, one arm over each other's necks. Hinata helped Kaguya up onto Bamboo No. 1 and escorted her. The Blood Maidens that were exhausted used any strength they had left to help the police officers get up. As for Jack and Alice, the duo kept themselves close to each other.

"You shall not escape!" Jabberwock redirected his tentacles to the fleeing group. Before he could act further, the White Rabbit emerged halfway out of his shapeless form and grabbed him from behind. "What are you doing?!" Jabberwock said to the White Rabbit in alarm. Concurrently, Jack's group stopped a small distance away from the two entities and looked at them.

"Jabberwock, this ends here. It is time for your vengeful existence to cease," At the White Rabbit's words, white veins started to encroach over Jabberwock's self. The latter was rendered immobile, his tentacles slowly retreating into himself.

"What is this? Unhand me at once!" Jabberwock yelled as he made a futile struggle to break away from the White Rabbit.

"The moment you captured my host, I took the opportunity to invade and take over your body. But, not before letting him out first. And now, we shall leave this world together,"

"What is he talking about?" asked Card-Two, who was held by Red Riding Hood.

"The White Rabbit is planning to sacrifice himself. While I was inside Jabberwock, he informed me that this was his last resort should we be unable to destroy Jabberwock quickly. With that, I was separated from him and am standing here while the White Rabbit completes his task," Mr. Shiro's explanation left his listeners surprised.

"What?! Why didn't you tell us about this earlier?!" Thumbelina exclaimed.

"I apologize but, this was the White Rabbit's decision made at the last minute. I too was taken aback by this. However, it appears that was the only option left," Mr. Shiro's eyes were downcast.

"White Rabbit, don't do this!" Jack said. "You don't have to give up your own life to beat Jabberwock!"

"I am sorry, Jack," Peering over Jabberwock's shoulder, the White Rabbit spoke to Jack and his friends. "It must be done. This is for the best,"

"I never thought a Marchen would go this far," An astounded Cinderella stated. "For what reason would you do this?"

"The truth is I am neither Marchen nor Nightmare. The same applies to Jabberwock. We are merely products of the Jail's influence. I am a figment of the one whom you know as Professor Tohjima. As for Jabberwock, he is an incarnation of the souls of fallen Marchens," In the midst of the White Rabbit's explanation, almost all of Jabberwock's self was enveloped in white. "Regarding my reason for doing this, it is because of our nature-Of what we are. I and Jabberwock are deemed to be aliens in the normal world. Our existence may not be acceptable to the living. For that, I have chosen to end both of our lives. All in order to ensure peace on the surface. And for humanity,"

"But, that doesn't mean you have to kill yourself!" Red Riding Hood retorted. "Plus, it doesn't matter what you are! You're one of us!"

"That would have been more applicable if I and Shirosagi were one and the same," The White Rabbit found Red Riding Hood's statement to be unexpected. "Despite the two of us being separated, you still consider me as one of you? In the same way you did when my host revealed his true form?"

"Of course we do!" Thumbelina shouted, her voice having a hint of sadness. "I don't care about what you said regarding your existence or whatever! You think it's alright if we let you die?! You're crazy!" Hearing Thumbelina's outburst led to the White Rabbit chuckling softly.

"You truly are spirited," He then remarked to Jack and the Blood Maidens. "I sincerely appreciate that you consider me as a part of your team. Unfortunately, I cannot stay with all of you. Again, this is for the best," At this time, Jabberwock was completely covered in white veins. "Now, go!" The White Rabbit continued talking in a more serious tone. "You must leave!"

"But…!"

"You must go!" The White Rabbit cut off Snow White. "It is too late for me but, it is not for all of you! Did you all not wish for another tomorrow? If you truly do, go now and cherish your own lives!"

"Though that is something which no rational person would accept, I am afraid the White Rabbit has a point," Gretel stated coolly.

"You're agreeing with the White Rabbit?!" Thumbelina gave Gretel a look of disbelief. "Don't you care about what happens to him?!"

"Though it pains us to leave a comrade like this, I believe we have no other choice," Hameln tried to mask her sadness.

"If that is the case, let us go. Now!" Standing between Towa and Arika, Mr. Shiro beckoned for the group to follow him. Although torn over the fact that they had to leave the White Rabbit behind, Jack and the Blood Maidens quickly fled with their friends. Jabberwock watched helplessly as his enemies approached the entrance of the room in which everybody is in.

"No!" Jabberwock angrily cried out. "It cannot end like this! Unhand me! UNHAND ME AT ONCE!"

"It is over, Jabberwock," a solemn White Rabbit said. "Let us put an end to this," Soon, Jack's group exited the room and started closing the gate behind them. The White Rabbit watched as Jack and his friends slowly disappeared from his sight.

"Goodbye, my friends," White light emanated from the White Rabbit and Jabberwock, filling the entire room. The light shone through the cracks of the now closed gate, startling those who stood near it. Within the light, the White Rabbit and Jabberwock started to disintegrate. The latter screamed in agony, his voice resounding across the dungeon. The White Rabbit, on the other hand, was filled with calmness.

"It is done," With those words, he and his opponent completely turned to ash. In an instant, the light that filled the room faded. For a moment, Jack's team fell silent. "The White Rabbit… Did he really?" the young boy asked his company.

"It seems that is the case," Mr. Shiro answered.

"Rapunzel don't sense anymore prey," The blonde Blood Maiden was frowning. "Don't know why but, Rapunzel feel sad," Hearing her, the rest of Jack's team remained quiet. Most of their faces, including Jack and the Blood Maidens', appeared forlorn.

"I am truly sorry for your loss," March said to Jack and the Blood Maidens with sympathy.

"Don't be," Alice responded. "The White Rabbit was valiant to the end. The least we can do is to have a moment of silence to honor him,"

"Indeed, m'lady," Hameln nodded her head slowly. "His sacrifice was not in vain," When she finished talking, small particles of light came out of the ground and floated up into the air. Everybody's attention was grabbed by their surroundings which was gradually getting enveloped by the light. The sight of this caused Rapunzel to gasp in awe.

"W-What's happening?" a confused Thumbelina asked.

"It would seem that this place is fading," Mr. Shiro stated. "I say this since this is happening right after Jabberwock's defeat,"

"Then, does that mean…?" Snow White came to a realization.

"Yes, that is most likely the case," Soon after Mr. Shiro talked, the light engulfed the group's surroundings. This prompted them to either shield or close their eyes. In a matter of seconds, everything around them turned white.

And then, it all faded to black.

Jack and his friends opened their eyes. The group found themselves at a familiar place. It was none other than the west road of Wonder Ville. "Are we… back in town?" Red Riding Hood asked while she and the others scanned the environment. Just then, Snow White took notice of something.

"Everybody, look!" The blue haired Blood Maiden pointed to a certain direction. Seeing where she was pointing, Jack's team realized they were standing in front of Shinzo Academy's main gate. Beyond it was the school itself, now back to normal. With Jabberwock gone, his influence over the building had disappeared.

"That's the school. It's back to normal!" Thumbelina stated with lifted eyebrows.

"Indeed, it is," Gretel mentioned. Soon after she talked, Haru, Miko, Major and Clara arrived at Jack and his team's spot, having ran all the way there from their truck.

"You guys!" a concerned Haru said. "Are you alright?"

"Haru!" Jack and his friends turned to face Haru's team.

"What happened inside the school?" Miko noticed the injuries sustained by most of the Blood Maidens and Leader's unit. "And those wounds…"

"I will explain later," Mr. Shiro stepped forward. "More importantly, let us leave. We must treat the injured first,"

* * *

Shinzo Academy's assembly hall is large; it's floor carpeted in red and the walls and ceiling white in color. At one end of the hall was a stage with red curtains and a podium at it's center. In front of the stage were several seats. The principal and teachers occupied the front row while the students, Hinata and Ichijo's gang included, sat behind them.

Atop the stage were Jack and the Blood Maidens, seated on their own chairs a few feet behind the podium. Jack was next to Alice and Thumbelina was in between her two sisters. On the right of the youths were Mr. Shiro, Miko, Clara, Major and Arika, now a normal girl without her powers. Haru was on the podium with Towa beside him. Hatter and his trio were nearby a flight of stairs on the stage's left. It is Thursday morning. As Haru prepared to speak into a microphone, Jack and the Blood Maidens pondered over something from the previous day.

* * *

 _Jack and the Blood Maidens are inside their house, gathered at the center of the lounge. Also present were Haru's team, Towa and Mr. Shiro. After sending Hinata and Hatter's trio home as well as Leader's unit to the hospital, Jack and the Blood Maidens returned home to have their injuries treated. Later in the evening, Haru's group decided to talk with the youngsters about an important matter-One which the youths found unexpected._

" _What do you mean we're leaving this town?!" a bewildered Jack asked._

" _Yeah! Exactly what's going on?" Thumbelina chipped in._

 _"It's precisely what I meant," Haru answered. "We got word from the police chief that they appreciate our efforts. The police force also offered to explain to the townsfolk about what happened so far for us," The gruff-looking man closed his eyes. "However, the chief mentioned that some members of the police are skeptical over his decision. They can't bring themselves to tell people that kids as young as you all were fighting,"_

 _"And that's not all," Haru's eyes focused on the Blood Maidens. "You girls even entered Massacre Mode without getting Marchen blood on yourselves. We don't know how that's possible but, we find that worrying. There's a chance it might happen again even when you're not actually fighting,"_

 _"Even if it does, we have Jack," Red Riding Hood gave a quick reply. "He can use our blood to calm us down!"_

 _"That's true. But, honestly, I believe people would be perplexed if they were to see Jack carrying around the Mary Gun everywhere," Miko said. "On top of that, there is no telling how they may view all of you should they witness Massacre Mode… or worse,"_

 _"Which is why we've decided to leave Wonder Ville along with all of you. It's to prevent further complications," Haru closed his eyes. "I know it's hard to hear this especially since you kids have taken a liking to this place. But, we can't risk exposing your real selves out in the public,"_

 _"But, didn't the National Defense Bureau agree to hide our true identities?" enquired Alice. "If so, I do not see how there should be any problems,"_

 _"That's what we thought so too. Given how things are turning out though, I'm afraid the Bureau's authority won't be enough to conceal your identities,"_

 _"No…" A sad Rapunzel voiced her disagreement. "Rapunzel no leave here. Rapunzel want to stay here!"_

 _"I agree with Rappy," Cinderella said with concern. "Even if we leave, where else are we to go?"_

 _"We'll figure that out later," Haru replied. "Now, I understand this is not easy to take in. That's why, we're letting you think about this. You can tell us your answer in the morning. Whatever you decide, be sure you're honest about it, m'kay?" Silence filled the lounge. Jack and the Blood Maiden's faces were downcast. Seeing the youngsters, the others could not help but, feel the same. Indeed, this was not a simple matter. It is true that Jack and his friends could move elsewhere. But, what are the chances that things would be better compared to when they first entered Wonder Ville?_

 _Such is the uncertainty of reality…_

* * *

"Students and teachers of Shinzo Academy," Haru addressed the crowd. "Thank you for coming here. First off, my name is Haru and I'm here on behalf of the National Defense Bureau," A lot of the students began murmuring among themselves. "I believe you all want answers on what happened yesterday," Haru quieted his listeners. "And we will give them to you. For that, I'll let my partner here explain everything,"

Haru stepped down from the podium letting Towa stand on it. The former stood next to him as the latter cleared his throat. "Good morning, fellas!" Towa spoke with a cheery grin. "Quite a large crowd we have here, don't we?" The students were confused by his cheerful demeanor. Even Jack and the Blood Maidens were dumbstruck over Towa's behavior given that the atmosphere is somewhat serious. Hatter's trio just stared at Towa from the side of the stage.

"Alright, let's start with a little introduction. I'm Towa Kadowaki and I work with the Bureau as well. As Haru said, I'll be explaining about yesterday's events," Towa's exterior slowly changed to a serious one. "What I'm about to tell you all may be beyond your imagination. You can choose to believe it or not. Alright with all of you?"

The crowd was quiet as if they were in silent agreement with Towa. Seated next to the principal, Ms. Joshima nodded her head. With that, Towa started to detail the Dawn's experience in the Jail followed by a summary of the happenings in Wonder Ville. His story elicited mixed responses. The students save Hinata and Ichijo's gang, displayed surprise and disbelief. A majority of the teachers were perplexed. As for Ms. Joshima and the principal, both looked serious.

"I can imagine if all of you find my story to be out of this world. The fact is, it is the truth. We have fought for our survival for as long as we could remember," Directing his words to the students, Towa referred to Jack and the Blood Maidens. "And there's one thing I'm sure you' kids are wondering-How exactly are your friends here able to fight the monsters you saw? I would tell you but, I think you will find it hard to believe if I were to say it,"

"For that, I'll let Jack handle that," With a good natured smile, Towa added humorously, "Let's give a round of applause for our brave young man, shall we?" Upon hearing his words, Thumbelina exchanged confused glances with her sisters. At the same time, Jack left his seat and took Towa's place on the podium. With that, Haru and Towa went to join the rest of the people on the stage.

Facing the crowd, Jack felt nervous. Even more so compared to when he and his friends first enrolled into Shinzo Academy. For a moment, the boy was quiet as he thought of his lines. "Um… Good morning," Jack started off hesitantly. "I've never really spoken to a huge crowd like this. Anyway, I hope it's alright if you'll let me say one thing," In a normal tone, Jack continued his speech.

"The truth is, we aren't exactly human. We were born from the disaster that struck fifteen years ago for the purpose of fighting Marchens, the monsters that were at our school yesterday. After we escaped the Jail, we decided to settle into this town, thinking that everything was over. But, it turned out it wasn't. The Marchens returned and we ended up fighting again," A lot of Jack's listeners were solemn when they listened to his story.

"That's why I'd like to say, we're going to leave Wonder Ville," Jack's words caused the students to be even more surprised, a lot of them talking amongst themselves. Hinata and Ichijo's gang could not believe what they heard. Hatter uttered an astonished, "What?" as he and his two friends looked at Jack. As for Ms. Joshima, she raised her eyebrows.

"I know it's sudden for me to say this. But, our reason is that we've brought trouble to this school due to our fighting. And not to mention, to this town as well. For that, we should apologize," Jack gave a pleasant smile. "We appreciate having spent time with all of you. We were able to enjoy a life outside the Jail, something which we never thought we would. Although it was short, we thank you for giving us the opportunity to be with all of you,"

"Jack…" Alice was impressed by Jack's speech.

"That's… all I'd like to say," Jack began to look sad. "If you'll excuse me," Stepping off the podium slowly, Jack went to rejoin the Blood Maidens. "Hold it right there!" Hatter went up on the stage and shouted. All eyes were on the redhead as he pointed a few feet away from Jack.

"Hatter?!" Thumbelina exclaimed.

"What the h*** you sayin' all of a sudden?" Hatter approached Jack, his friends following from behind. "You ain't tell us nothing bout leaving this town! I thought we gonna spend our days together!"

"Sorry…" Jack replied hesitantly. "It's for the best,"

"For the best?!" Hatter cried out in disbelief. "Why're you saying that? Cuz people may get scared of you since you guys ain't human? Who cares bout that? Me and mah pals accepted you all. The people should too!"

"It's not as easy as it sounds…"

"Look, I don't care, man!" Hatter shifted his eyes to the Blood Maidens and the Dawn personnel. "Listen, I dunno what y'all are actually thinking, but, you guys are not going to leave Wonder Ville!"

"Hatter, please stop," March spoke to calm his friend down.

"Whaddaya mean, stop?" Hatter looked at March. "I can't accept this, March! Even if they go, where else they gonna stay, huh?"

"Excuse me," Ms. Joshima approached Hatter. While he was talking, she had left her seat and got up on the stage. "I would like to have a word with our audience. If it is alright, please step down from the stage with your friends,"

"She's right. Come on, Hatter," At Drake's words, he and March took Hatter away and walked down the stage with him. Ms. Joshima then walked up to Jack. "I will take it from here. Do join your friends,"

"Thank you," Jack went back to the Blood Maidens. Ms. Joshima went up onto the podium and talked into the microphone. "Students and teachers of Shinzo Academy," she said. "After hearing what Mr. Haru's team have to say, I am of the opinion that their story is beyond anything that one can imagine. In fact, I personally find it hard to believe," Hearing Ms. Joshima's statement led to Jack and most of the Blood Maidens frowning.

"However, that is how an ordinary person would think," Ms. Joshima continued. "Despite how absurd their story may be, I believe that is no reason for them to leave,"

"Huh?" Jack was surprised. His friends also shared the same feeling.

"The motto of our school is to have a heart above all else. It does not matter where one comes from or who that person may be. We will accept anyone into our school and treat them as if they are one of us," Ms. Joshima added, "For that, I ask-Are any of you against having Jack and his friends in our school and our town? Those who think so are free to stand up and leave the hall,"

There was silence. Five students, each of them from Class 1-1 to Class 1-4 respectively, got off their seats. Ms. Joshima observed them walking forward, believing that they would make their way to the door. Instead, she saw the students head to the stage and walk up onto it. The students moved to Jack and the Blood Maidens and faced them, their faces solemn.

"We won't tell anyone about who you all are," said the Class 1-1 student, a male.

"Yeah, you bet we won't," said the student from Class 1-2, another male.

"But, you don't know who really are…" Red Riding Hood spoke tentatively.

"Who cares about that?!" the Class 1-3 student, a girl, said aloud. "You think we're going to accept you leaving us like that?" Turning sad, she added, "If you do that, it just doesn't… feel right,"

"But, are you sure?" Alice asked the students. "We are not what you think we may be…"

"Well, you heard her," the Class 1-4 student, a boy, spoke. "Besides, I'm curious as to how you could fight those Marchens,"

"Yeah," Smiling at Sleeping Beauty, the student from Class 1-2 said, "Plus, school won't be the same anymore when our Goddess is not around,"

"So, that means…" Snow White lifted her eyebrows. "…we can continue to be in Wonder Ville?" After seeing the exchange between Jack's group and the students, Ms. Joshima spoke into the microphone. "Everyone," she smiled. "I believe the answer is clear. If we are all in agreement to allow Jack and his friends to be with us, let us give them a round of applause. For saving our school and to accept them," The audience gave a positive response, with the students clapping and cheering loudly. The teachers talked to each other in approval of Ms. Joshima's words. As for the principal, he smiled and nodded his head.

"Well, color me surprised," Haru chuckled as he and his team moved towards Jack. "Looks like there was no need for me to have told you and the girls to leave with us," His smile fading, Haru added, "Sorry I said those things by the way. I thought it was for the best,"

"It's alright, Haru," Jack smiled. "It was sad at first, but, we understand you meant well,"

"I feel so happy," Alice was so touched she looked as if she was about to tear up. "This feels like a pleasant dream…"

"Y-You said it, Alice," Red Riding Hood shared Alice's sentiments. "In fact, I… I…" The brunette started crying softly, tears of joy streaming down her cheeks. Miko placed a comforting hand on Red Riding Hood's shoulder. At the same time, a smiling Thumbelina placed her arm around a sniffing Snow White. Mr. Shiro, Major, Clara and Arika stood next to Hameln, who was trying to fight back tears. When asked by Cinderella whether she was crying, the tanned Blood Maiden denied it.

"My, how elated we are all are," Gretel watched her companions being happy about their current situation. Smiling to herself, she said, "This is quite the fascinating development," The cheering subsided and Ms. Joshima asked for the audience to see themselves out. Shortly after they exited the assembly hall, Jack's group were in front of the stage talking with Ms. Joshima and the principal. Hatter, March and Drake were standing with them as they wanted to listen in on their conversation.

"To be honest, I knew there was something different about all of you since your first day in Shinzo Academy," Ms. Joshima said to Jack and the Blood Maidens. "Despite that, we will keep all that you have explained a secret. Rest assured, we will not share anything about it haphazardly. Especially to the people outside of Wonder Ville,"

"Thank you, Ms. Joshima," Alice gave a grateful smile.

"Told ya they'd accept you all," Hatter grinned at Jack and the Blood Maidens. "And speaking of which," The redheaded boy shifted his eyes to Thumbelina and her sisters. "You three sisters owe me, March and Drake here a date,"

"You're still going on about that?!" Thumbelina shot Hatter a look of disbelief.

"Chill, chill," Hatter raised his hands. Spreading his arms out he said, "That aside, remember that tea party we talked about?"

"Yes, what of it?" Cinderella asked.

"A tea party?" Ms. Joshima turned curious.

"Yeah, well about that," Hatter leaned forward a little and smiled. "I've got a better idea,"


	13. Chapter 12

Wonder Ville's police force distributed leaflets across the town itself. Printed on them were two matters-First, the incident at Shinzo Academy was treated as top secret by the National Defense Bureau. Second, the Bureau ensures that the situation is under control. These matters were highlighted by Haru and Miko, whom after gaining approval from the Bureau, arranged for the police to inform the townsfolk. Most who read the leaflets were skeptical. Some demanded answers from the police. Though uncertainty had arisen, Haru and his friends believed one thing.

This was for the best.

It is a Sunday morning. Due to the recent events at Shinzo Academy, school was off for the last three days. The citizens of Wonder Ville resumed their ordinary lives. Some of them, mainly the working adults, discussed possible theories on what led to the incident at Shinzo Academy. A few believed that Arika's presence led to the happenings there. However, their companions convinced them otherwise.

Inside Jack and the Blood Maidens' house, the youths were seated at the lounge happily enjoying breakfast. Standing around the sofas were Haru and the other members of the Dawn, who decided to stay in Jack's house for a few days. The Dawn members smiled as they listened to the youngsters' stories of their time in Wonder Ville.

"And there was this time when Thumby chased Hatter around the street-"

"Did you have to bring that up, Sister Red?!" Thumbelina blurted out to Red Riding Hood in embarassment.

"Aw, you don't have to get riled up over that," Red Riding Hood teasingly grinned at Thumbelina. "You know seeing you chase Hatter that time kinda makes you two look like a couple,"

"What?!" Thumbelina's face turned red. "That's not true! Hatter and I are not like what you're thinking! And there's no way I'll ever be lumped together with that womanizing dolt!"

"Now, Thumbelina," a smiling Mr. Shiro calmed the red haired Blood Maiden. "Let us not get too flustered shall we?"

"Speaking of which," A concerned look emerged on Cinderella's face. "I wonder if the citizens of this town will be alright. Especially after being informed about the incident a few days ago,"

"Well, I can understand if you're worried about that," Haru stated. "They were told about something unbelievable,"

"More importantly, will you be alright, Arika?" Alice, who sat in between Jack and Rapunzel, asked Arika. "You've lost all of your powers,"

"It's fine," Arika assured. "And you can call me Hikari. Arika was the name I used in my reincarnated form,"

"You really want go back to being called that?" Major said. "I think your previous one sounded nicer,"

"Still, 'Hikari' is 'Hikari'," Smiling at Major, she said, "Right, Mamoru?"

"Well, if that's how you want it, that's fine," Mamoru smiled. "Though I think 'Major' sounds cooler for me,"

"You think so? I think 'Mamoru''s better. Not to mention, cuter," Red Riding Hood said jokingly.

"Woah, hold it," Mamoru tensed. "Don't go talking about my name like that,"

"Oh, your face's turning red, Mamoru," Clara grinned cheekily.

"Stop that!" an embarrassed Mamoru said. "It's not like I'm blushing or anything!" Everyone laughed lightly at his reaction.

"By the way," Thumbelina looked at Alice and Jack across the table. "Aren't you two a little too close to each other?" Noticing that they were very near to each other, Jack and Alice let out a soft startled cry and backed away from one another.

"Oh?" Kaguya began to tease the two youths. "What do we have here? Did something happen between the two of you?"

"Huh? N-N-Nothing," Jack blushed. "It's like Thumbelina said. We were sitting too close to each other," He turned to look at Alice. "Right, Alice?"

"Y-Yes, that's right," Alice replied while trying to hide her embarassment.

"Come on, Alice, you don't have to hide it," Red Riding Hood grinned. "You've got something going on with Jack, don't you?

"I-It's not like that!" Alice's eyes widened. "He's just important to us!"

"Did Jack and Alice…" a smiling Rapunzel said with a blush. "…make babies?"

"We did not!" an incredulous Jack exclaimed.

"My, aren't you being bashful," Gretel stated with a blank expression.

"What do you expect? You're all teasing him," Haru chuckled lightly. "That aside, I got to say Jack's quite a lucky guy to be surrounded by a lot of girls,"

"Huh?!" a bewildered Jack looked at Haru.

"I wholeheartedly agree," Miko pushed her spectacles up. "However, Jack, be aware that it is your responsibility to answer to them accordingly," Glancing at Alice, she added, "Especially to the one whom you truly care for,"

"W-W-What are you talking about, Miko?" Jack became flustered.

"Ha, ha! Will you look at that!" Towa said humorously. "At this rate, you'll end up being a playboy, Jack!"

"Towa! Don't say something inappropriate so openly like that!" Red Riding Hood frowned.

"Inappropriate?" Towa opened one eye. "I was only joking," As soon as he finished speaking, everyone heard a knock on the door.

"Who's that?" Thumbelina asked as she and her friends' attention was on the door.

"I'll get it," Jack got off his seat and headed for the door. Opening it, he was greeted by four familiar people standing in a row. They were none other than Hatter, March, Drake and Hinata. "Morning, fellas!" Hatter said. "How's it going?"

"Good morning," Jack replied. "What brings you here?" At this time, his friends walked away from the sofas to join him.

"Well, me and my pals were doing our usual business when all of a sudden, we were graced by the presence of a fine-a** gal," Hatter walked into the lounge, prompting his listeners to give way for him. "And she finer than an angel!"

"You didn't come all the way here just to tell us about a girl, did you?" Thumbelina lifted one eyebrow.

"Hey, like ah said, Thumby, she ain't no ordinary girl. In fact, lemme show you," Hatter stepped aside. "Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce our two guests who have come all the way here to meet you. Please give them a round of applause, will ya?" The redheaded boy clapped his hands. Hinata watched in confusion as March and Drake followed suit. Concurrently, he, March and Drake gave way to two people who stood behind them. All at Jack's side widened their eyes as the two guests walked towards them. They were a boy and a girl, both having pinkish white hair and wearing white robes with blue outlines. The thing that distinguished them was their eyes-The girl had heterochromatic eyes while the boy had jade green eyes. Jack and his companions instantly recognized the duo as Michiru and Hitsuka.

"Hello, everyone. It has been a while," Michiru greeted Jack's group.

"Michiru! Chi!" a surprised Thumbelina said. The other Blood Maidens along with Jack were happy to see their guests. At the same time, Hinata, March and Drake walked into the lounge and joined Hatter.

"Snow White is glad to see you!" Snow White said to Michiru and Hitsuka. "When did you arrive?"

"We came into the town this morning," Hitsuka replied with a smile. "My sister and I thought of visiting you but, we decided not to say anything as we wanted it to be a surprise,"

"But, what about the Order of the Sun?" Miko asked. "Will they be alright by themselves?"

"A few of our followers are leading the people in our stead," Hitsuka said. "Rest assured, things are under control at their side,"

"Order of the Sun?" Hinata turned curious.

"Oh, that's right. We haven't told you about them," Red Riding Hood said to Hinata's side. "They were our friends whom helped us back in the Jail. This may sound a bit weird but, back then, they worshipped the sun as their way of giving hope to the people,"

"So, they're a cult?" asked Drake.

"Pretty much, yeah," replied Red Riding Hood.

"Hold it, you sayin' they praise the sun?" Hatter gave Red Riding Hood a look of disbelief.

"Indeed, that was what we did," Hitsuka answered. "But, that was in the past. We are now focusing on helping those in need," There was a brief pause. All of a sudden, Hatter faced Michiru and clasped his hands like a monk in prayer. "Sister, it is an honor to be graced by your presence," he said in a reverential tone.

"W-What are you doing?" Thumbelina was dumbfounded. Even Jack and most of the other Blood Maidens felt the same.

"I'm just paying my respects, Thumby," Hatter glanced at Thumbelina. "Specially since your friend here's looking like a nun. A very fine one at that," Michiru started giggling to herself. "You're quite an interesting person, Hatter," she commented.

"But, why are you praying like a Buddhist monk?" asked a confused Hinata. "And why call her 'sister'?"

"Like ah said, she's a nun-" Hatter stopped himself as if he remembered something. "Yo, Jack, got a minute? We need to talk,"

"Huh?" To Jack's astonishment, Hatter went up to him and placed his arm around his neck. "Whoa?!"

"Me and my pals are gonna have a word with Jack here. In the meantime, you guys go have fun reconnecting with each other, alright?" Everybody stared as Hatter dragged Jack to the lounge's entrance. March and Drake followed the two from behind.

"Hey, wait-" Before Jack could say anything more, he and Hatter's trio had exited the lounge with Drake closing the door. Most of the youngsters in the room blinked twice while the adults raised their eyebrows.

"Um… What just happened?" Snow White asked.

"I wonder," Gretel said nonchalantly. With that, nobody said anything else.

* * *

"Hatter, why did you bring me out all of a sudden?" Jack, still startled from being brought outside, was standing at the backyard; a small lawn covered by a wooden fence, with Hatter's bunch.

"We want to get something straight, Jack," Hatter's expression was serious. "And it's high time we settle this before it's too late,"

"What is it?"

"Well, let's get to the point," Hatter moved close to Jack while March and Drake watched the duo. With a straight face, Hatter said, "You got the hots for Alice, don't cha?"

"Huh?" a dumbstruck Jack said.

"C'mon, don't be playing, man," Hatter stepped away from Jack. "March here's been noticing that you and Alice are getting real close to each other. Why ain't you two saying anything bout this?"

"I don't understand what you're talking about…"

"He is saying that you should confess your love to Alice," March stated.

"Wha?!" Jack was taken aback by March's statement.

"March's right. You should seize the moment," Drake said.

"What are you all getting at all of a sudden?!" Jack became flustered.

"Listen, Jack, my man," Hatter spoke with a firm voice. "We know you like Alice not only as a friend but, more than that. She probably knows that too. Except that she's a lil' too shy to admit it. So, why don't you make the first move and get this over with?"

"I don't know if I should…" Jack replied hesitantly. "I mean we've known each other since we were kids but, even still, I'm not sure if I can,"

"Why do you say that?" enquired March.

"The truth is I did tell her a little about this. But, lately, I think I've been trying a bit too hard in taking care of the girls. I'm afraid I might be forcing myself onto them including Alice," Jack pondered on his words. "That's why… I'll tell her how I really feel when the time is right-"

"Say no more, Jack," Hatter placed a hand on the Blood Youth's shoulder. "Those are some noble words you spoke, man,"

"Really? I was only speaking what came to my mind," Jack's brows were lifted.

"Well, all ah can say is that if you truly care for the ladies, you should prove it by showing Alice how you feel," Hatter took his hand off Jack's shoulder. "In fact, we'll help you,"

"You will? How?"

"You remember that thing we're gonna hold tonight at the school?"

"Yeah, why?" After Jack talked, Hatter brought his face close to the former and smiled.

"You ever thought of singing?"

* * *

Night had arrived at Wonder Ville. The students of Shinzo Academy were walking into the school building and gathering inside it's assembly hall. There, they were greeted by the sight of several round tables arranged in a circle, leaving a huge space in the middle of them. Each table was lined with a piece of white cloth and had silver platters containing an assortment of food. The tables also had metal drink dispensers filled with beverages like orange juice and hot tea. Next to them were small glasses and tea cups for people to drink with. On the stage, classical music was played out from two speakers connected to a turntable. Operating the turntable was an Asian young man acting as the DJ.

The environment in the assembly hall was lively. The students flocked around the tables and enjoyed the food while chatting amongst each other. Ms. Joshima and a few teachers were at one table watching the students with a smile. The other teachers were talking to the students at different tables. As for the principal, he smiled to himself as he stood by the stage and watched the merriment of the atmosphere.

During all this, the Blood Maidens had just entered the hall. Together with them were Hinata, Michiru, Hitsuka and their friends from the Dawn. Jack and Hatter's trio however, were not with the group. They will be coming later due to preparing something "special". When the Blood Maidens asked the four boys about this, Hatter came up with a well thought up reason in convincing the girls to go ahead without them. Although the Blood Maidens especially Alice felt strange about this, they complied anyway.

"Wow, it sure is busy in here," Red Riding Hood and her friends smiled as they observed their surroundings from the assembly hall's door.

"It's like a party in here," Thumbelina said with wonder.

"So many people!" Rapunzel said in excitement.

"You don't say!" Clara shared Rapunzel's excitement. "I can't believe Hatter and his two buddies would actually prepare a huge event like this!"

"Yes, I admit I find it impressive for them to stage this event by themselves," Mr. Shiro remarked.

"Well, look who's here," Ichijo and his band approached the Blood Maidens' group, greeting them warmly. With the former were several of the girls' classmates. "Glad to see you all. And who's this?" Ichijo and his companions' attention was caught by Michiru and Hitsuka.

"Oh, let me introduce our friends Michiru and Hitsuka," Red Riding Hood replied. "They came to visit Wonder Ville this morning,"

"Wow, she's cute!" one of the males among the Blood Maidens' classmates rushed to Michiru. "Want to join me in one table?"

"Yeah, join us!" a few more males moved to Michiru and began admiring her appearance. Thumbelina stepped in front of the boys and cleared her throat, prompting them to back away a little. "Watch it, you all," the red haired Blood Maiden eyed the boys warily. "Do anything weird to her and you'll regret it," Thumbelina radiated a dreadful aura, sending shivers down the male students' spines. A startled Ichijo slowly inched away from Thumbelina along with his gang. As for the other Blood Maidens and their company, they stared at Thumbelina with Snow White chuckling nervously.

"Come on, Thumby, relax," Grinning, Red Riding Hood put her hand on Thumbelina's shoulder. "There's no need to get mad. They only wanted to say 'hi',"

"Aren't you being a little too easy going, Sister Red?" Thumbelina glanced at Red Riding Hood with a frown.

"Red Riding Hood has a point," Michiru giggled. "Besides, I find these students intriguing,"

"Michiru?!" Thumbelina gave Michiru a look of surprise.

"Yeah, we're here to party not to fight," With humor, Sanji added, "So, don't go punching someone like you did to me,"

"Heh, you have a point there," Nichijo smirked to himself.

"You don't say," Red Riding Hood gave a soft laugh. "What do you think, Thumby?"

"Alright," Thumbelina sighed. "So long as the guys don't go overboard,"

"Well, then, fellas, shall we get this party started?" Towa spoke cheerily to everybody. "The night is young so, let's enjoy ourselves,"

"Ohoho! I couldn't agree more!" Cinderella approved of Towa's words.

"That's what I was thinking!" said an enthusiastic Red Riding Hood. "What're we waiting for? Let's go have some fun!"

"Yeah!" Most of the youths around Red Riding Hood cheered. Soon after, the group moved to different tables and joined the festivities. Red Riding Hood was introducing Mamoru and Hikari to her classmates-The same ones whom witnessed her extraordinary performance in Physical Education a few days prior. Rapunzel was happily wolfing down on whatever delicious food that caught her eye. Cinderella had to calm the blonde girl down all while wiping food stains on the latter's face with a handkerchief.

Thumbelina and her sisters introduced Michiru and Hitsuka to some students from Class 1-2. The male students were fawning over Michiru and the females were enthralled by her appearance. When some of the boys attempted to ask Michiru out for a date, Thumbelina stared at them intently. What ensued shortly after was a comical exchange between Thumbelina and the boys about the latter's rights in asking a beautiful girl out. A slightly dumbfounded Hitsuka was unable to comprehend the situation. On the other hand, her sister Michiru found it amusing. As for Snow White and Sleeping Beauty, they could only stare at their sister.

At one of the tables closer to the stage, Kaguya thanked him for helping her when they fled from Jabberwock with their friends. Ichijo and his band, hearing the conversation, asked Hinata what he did. After explaining about his actions, a few of Ichijo's companions commended Hinata for his bravery and jokingly called him Kaguya's future boyfriend. A blushing Hinata protested, surprising Kaguya. Despite this, she could not help but, feel amused from watching Hinata's conduct.

Meanwhile, the adults from the Dawn were talking with the principal and Ms. Joshima at another table. At the table next to theirs were Alice, Hameln and Gretel. Hameln was proudly sharing stories of the Dawn to a few classmates. Gretel bit into a deliciously sweet cookie causing her to grin in delight. Next to her, Alice was enjoying a cup of tea. Right after she took a sip, she scanned her surroundings. She was glad to see the happy environment around her but, wondered when Jack would arrive.

"Is something on your mind?" Gretel approached Alice.

"It's nothing. I was only observing the environment," Alice replied as she put her tea cup on the table.

"Oh?" a smirk crossed Gretel's face. "Perhaps it is Jack you're thinking about?"

"W-What're you saying?" Alice's eyes widened. "It's nothing like that,"

"I do not find that statement convincing," Gretel stated, the smile on her face fading. "Especially since you appear to be harboring feelings for Jack,"

"Huh?!" Alice became startled.

"There is no use in hiding it," Gretel continued. "You and Jack have been displaying signs of affection towards each other. I am sure the others are aware of that to a certain extent. The only question is why hesitate to express your true feelings to Jack when it is clear you are fond of him?"

"I'm not hesitating. It's just I don't know how to approach him. If I were to tell him about this directly, I'm afraid I might be forcing myself onto him. I'm saying this because Jack has done a lot for us including me," Alice started to sound unsure of herself. "That's why… to avoid troubling him, I'll tell him when the time is right,"

"Hmm… So, you harbor feelings for Jack yet, you choose not to relay them out of concern for him," Unable to grasp Alice's explanation, Gretel frowned. "How conflicting. I cannot comprehend such thoughts,"

"Perhaps you will if you find yourself a soul mate," Alice spoke with humor.

"I'm afraid I have no interest in such a thing," Despite maintaining her usual neutral expression, Gretel felt her face redden. While she and Alice were talking, they were unaware that three people walked onto the stage. After a brief conversation with the DJ, the trio went to the front of the stage. One of them was holding a microphone and prepared to speak into it.

"Ladies and gentleman!" the person spoke out loud, grabbing the attention of the partygoers in the hall. "How y'all doing tonight?" To the surprise of the Blood Maidens, the people on the stage were Hatter's trio themselves. "Hatter?" Thumbelina wondered how the three boys got onto the stage without anyone noticing. At the same time, the DJ switched off the music.

"You fellas having a good time here?" Hatter continued speaking. A lot of the students responded to him with cheers. Some of them shouted out a loud, "Yeah!" "Glad to see you all are enjoying yourselves," Hatter went on. "First off, my pals and I would like to thank all of you for attending this event. A lot has happened I know. And for that we all deserve a celebration,"

"And speaking of which, we've got a lil' something arranged for you all," Hatter's next words piqued most of the audience's curiosity. "Tonight, is the night where two souls shall express their true feelings for each other. A night where two people shall be paired for life,"

"What's he talking about?" an uncertain Thumbelina asked to herself.

"For that I'd like to have someone come up on the stage and present something special," Hatter began to raise his voice. "Ladies and gentlemen. Let's welcome our guest for tonight. He's the guy who's got tons of girls clinging to him. He's the guy who's going to become a man tonight! Give a round of applause to the one. The only! Jack!" Bringing one hand to his left, Hatter presented Jack who was now walking up on the stage. A lot of the partygoers especially his classmates clapped their hands loudly. The Blood Maidens became even more surprised as they saw Jack joining Hatter's trio.

"It's your turn, Jack," Whispering into Jack's ear, Hatter passed the microphone to him. Hatter and his trio then stood behind Jack as the latter faced the audience. Nervously, the Blood Youth put the microphone near his mouth. "Um… Good evening," Jack chuckled softly. "I'm really glad to see everyone enjoying themselves. If it's alright, I'd like to start by saying something," Calming himself down, Jack continued talking.

"Firstly, I want to thank the students and teachers once again for letting me and my friends into this school. I know I've said this but, we appreciate the time we've spent together," Jack scanned his eyes across the hall. "I also would like to thank everybody from the Dawn for the support they've given up until now. Especially those whom I've fought together with. It's thanks to them that I've learnt many things and that I'm able to help those in need. For that, I'm really grateful,"

"Jack…" Red Riding Hood and the other Blood Maidens displayed looks of gratitude. Even their friends from the Dawn showed the same thing. Ms. Joshima, the principal and a lot of the students, including Hinata and Ichijo's gang, smiled in approval of Jack's words. Hatter nodded his head as he, March and Drake did the same.

"With that, there's something I'd like to present as thanks for all that you've done. Especially to one person," Jack began to blush a little. "So, if it's alright, shall we… start?" Hearing Jack, Hatter signaled for the DJ to start the music again. A few soft drum beats were heard from the speakers followed by a slow, melodious tune. Jack was suddenly having butterflies in his stomach.

"Alice…" the blue haired boy tried to keep his nervousness at bay. "This is… for you,"

"Huh?" Alice wondered what Jack meant. Soon, all in the hall watched as the latter took a deep breath and sang slowly into the microphone.

 _The closer I get to you_

 _The more you make me see_

 _By giving me all you got_

 _Your love has captured me_

A majority of the audience especially the Blood Maidens and the Dawn were astonished to hear Jack singing. Thumbelina was stupefied to the extent that her jaw dropped. The Blood Maidens knew that Jack can have his surprises at times. But, they never expected him to be such a good singer. Alice, her eyes wide open in awe, could not help but marvel at Jack's performance. As she stared at Jack from her table, the music raised it's tempo and the latter continued singing.

 _Over and over again_

 _I tried to tell myself that we_

 _Could never be more than friends_

 _And all the while inside I knew it was real_

 _The way you make me feel_

 _Lying here next to you_

 _Time just seems to fly_

 _Needing you more and more_

 _Let's give love a try_

 _Sweeter than sweeter love grows_

 _And heaven's there for those_

 _Who fool the tricks of time_

 _With the hearts of love they find true love_

 _In a special way_

 _The closer I get to you_

 _The more you make me see_

 _By giving me all you got_

 _Your love has captured me_

During Jack's performance, Alice made her way to the front of the stage. When she was about to go past the tables, the other Blood Maidens noticed her and joined Alice. Soon, they along with some students gathered in front of the stage. As the crowd watched Jack, Alice's gaze was fixed onto him.

 _Over and over again_

 _I try to tell myself that we_

 _Could never be more than friends_

 _And all the while inside I knew it was real_

 _The way you make me feel_

 _The closer I get to you_

 _The more you make me see_

 _By giving you all I got_

 _Your love has captured me_

 _The closer I get to you_

 _The feeling comes over me_

 _Pulling closer, sweet as the gravity_

Once the last verse ended, the song slowly came to a close. People began clapping their hands. Loud cheers were heard everywhere. Hameln shouted a loud "Bravo!" twice. "Thank you," Jack thanked his audience. "Thank you," He then noticed Alice staring at him wide eyed. Quickly, he walked off the stage but, not before handing the microphone over to Hatter. A puzzled Hatter along with March and Drake followed Jack. The four boys, with Jack in the lead were now standing in between the stage and the crowd of students.

"Hi, Alice," Jack said. "Sorry, I didn't say anything about this earlier. I wanted to keep it a secret," To his surprise, Alice kept quiet. She was still staring at Jack with raised eyebrows. "Alice?" Jack asked as all eyes were on him and Alice herself.

"Jack…" Alice's eyes welled up with tears which soon flowed down her cheeks. "Hic…"

"Hey… Alice?" Red Riding Hood was concerned over Alice's sudden change in behavior. The others around her either shared her concern or were puzzled. The members of Hatter's trio exchanged confused glances.

"Alice, what's wrong?" a worried Jack asked. "Could it be that you didn't like my singing?"

"No… It's… not that," Alice spoke in between sobs. "It was… beautiful. I'm so touched that you actually sang that song,"

"Regarding that, there's a reason why I wanted to sing it," Jack looked Alice into the eye. "Alice, there's something I've always wanted to say to you for some time. Ever since the day we met… Ever since our time in the Jail… I've always thought of you not only as a friend but, someone more precious than that. Someone who I want to share my life with," Hinata and Ichijo's gang came to observe Jack and Alice's conversation. Even the Dawn, Michiru, Hitsuka, Ms. Joshima and a handful of teachers joined in as well.

"What I really want to say," Jack was blushing hard. "Is that I love you," Those who heard him became surprised. Alice could not believe what she heard. Hinata and Ichijo's gang stared at Jack, their mouths agape. Hatter let out a startled yell while March nodded his head approvingly. The Dawn and their companions lifted their eyebrows not knowing what to say.

"Jack… Did you really mean what you just said?" Alice asked after wiping her tears.

"I do, Alice," Jack replied with a smile. "I apologize for not saying this sooner. I wasn't sure whether I should… But, now I'm certain. I want to let you know how I really feel. Because you're important to all of us. Including me. That's… what I wish to say to you," For a moment, Alice was silent.

"Jack… I want to apologize as well," Alice approached Jack and looked into his eyes. "The truth is I wanted to say the same things you said. But, I was afraid that if I did, you may end up pushing yourself too hard to take care of me. And the others too. But, now I realize I share the same feelings that you have," Blushing she added, ""So, I want to say, I love you too," Everybody around Jack and Alice watched intently as the two youths gazed at each other. Some of the students swallowed hard.

"Wait, you're seriously doing this here?" said an incredulous Thumbelina.

"Aw, come on, Thumby, give them some space," Red Riding Hood grinned. "It's nice to see them open up like this," As soon as she finished talking, Jack and Alice embraced one another.

"Jack, I love you," Alice spoke softly.

"I love you too, Alice," Jack replied softly. Soon, he and Alice closed their eyes and brought their lips together. With that, the two engaged in their first kiss. The sound of clapping and excited yelling filled the hall as all gathered to witness this beautiful moment. Some of the students whistled. Haru chuckled to himself over how lucky Jack is right now. He knew Jack and Alice were bound to be together but, he wasn't expecting it to be this soon.

After Jack and Alice finished their kiss, Mr. Shiro, Ms. Joshima and the remaining Blood Maidens walked up to the duo. "Congratulations, Jack, Alice," a smiling Mr. Shiro then said to the two youths.

"Yeah! Congrats, Jack! I knew you and Alice had something for each other!" Red Riding Hood said enthusiastically.

"Thanks," Jack smiled back. "I appreciate it,"

"Though it is a little inappropriate to engage in passionate acts out in the open, I would like to congratulate the two of you as well," Ms. Joshima said.

"As do I!" Hameln said in delight. "Words cannot describe how happy I am to see that you have found love, m'lady! I shall give you and Jack my blessings!"

"Thank you, Ms. Joshima," replied Alice. "And you as well, Hameln,"

"You know Jack, I got to say," Thumbelina found herself amused. "You're full of surprises at times you know that?"

"Ahaha… I guess," Jack chuckled.

"Now, that's what ah call love. And speaking of which…" Hatter put the microphone to his mouth. "Ladies and gentleman, please return to your tables will ya? We got something to say to y'all," The people facing Hatter's trio moved back to the tables. Jack and the Blood Maidens along with their friends gathered at the tables facing the stage. While they did, Jack and Alice held hands and stood closely to each other.

"Fellas, you've all seen how beautiful love is," Hatter announced. "How wonderful it is to see a guy confess to the girl of his dreams. To commemorate this occasion, we move on to the next stage," Excited murmurs were heard from the students as they wondered what Hatter meant.

"You all heard Jack singing. But, that's only half of what he's got to show you," Hatter continued. "In fact, it's time for Jack to show his girl some moves. And by that, he's going to dance! Once again, let's give him a round of applause, ladies and gentleman!" Once more, the students clapped their hands. The Blood Maidens turned to look at Jack.

"What does he mean 'dance'?" a confused Thumbelina asked Jack. "Can you actually do that?"

"Well, about that…" Before Jack could finish, Hatter continued to talk. At the same time, the clapping started to die down. "Alright, fellas. Without further ado, let's get this show on the road!" Turning around, Hatter said, "Hit it, DJ!" In response, the DJ signaled that he acknowledged Hatter's words. Fiddling with his turntable, the DJ played a new song. This time, the speakers played an upbeat mix of disco, R & B, funk and soul. "Okay, Jack," Hatter spoke once more. "Show them yo moves!"

"A-Alright!" Letting go of Alice's hand, Jack headed for the space in the center of the tables. What he did next struck his audience with a mixture of surprise and awe. Jack was dancing. He was literally dancing. "J-Jack?!" Red Riding Hood exclaimed. Right when she and the other Blood Maidens thought Jack singing was already surprising, this surprised them even more.

 _Dareka ga uwasa shiteiru sekai wa itsuka owaru tte_

 _Uso dayo sore ja atarimaesugiru_

 _Ano toki, sora wo miageta mirai wo ima ni kanjita_

 _Anata no kaze ni shinkuro shitanda_

 _Onnanoko de irareru ibasho, mitsukechatta yo_

 _Dakara mou yarukkyanai tomerarenai_

Jack was dancing to the beat of the song smoothly. The minute it started, he performed the liquid dance combined with a few instances of the running man. The Blood Maidens sans Gretel gawked at Jack. Concurrently, the rest of their friends gazed at him with raised eyebrows. All of them could not believe how much of a dancer Jack was-A smooth one at that.

"My word…" Cinderella said to herself.

"This is quite surprising…" Gretel remarked with raised eyebrows.

 _Pika tto run ga hikareba Wow woh wow woh_

 _Watashi wa koi ni ochiru no Wow woh wow woh_

 _Pariru paarira anata no sei de_

 _Parira run pika muteki nanda yo_

When the chorus began, Jack upped his moves by swinging his legs and making short leaps into the air. The students cheered and called for Jack to do more. There was an off-vocal interlude as the chorus ended. At this moment, Jack glanced at Alice. To everybody's astonishment, he glided his feet across the floor and stopped in front of Alice.

"Would you like to dance, Alice?" Jack smiled.

"Wha? Me?" Alice replied, astounded. "But, I don't even know how!"

"It's alright," Jack assured. "I'll show you," Saying this, he held Alice's hand. "Oh!" Alice gave a startled cry as Jack pulled her close to him. The two then waltzed across the floor and back to where Jack was previously. Reaching there, Jack moved a few steps away from Alice.

"You ready, Alice?" Jack said to her.

"Wait, Jack, I can't-" a hesitant Alice spoke up.

"Don't worry. Just follow what I do," Jack answered with assurance. "It'll be fine,"

"O-Okay, I'll do my best," Despite feeling doubtful, Alice decided to join Jack in dancing. The latter started off by making a few rhythmic steps on the ground. Alice followed suit albeit slowly. However, with a little encouragement from Jack, she was able to match his rhythm.

 _Dareka ga kurushindeiru tatakau koto wa tsurai tte_

 _Dame dayo sore ja mae e susumenai_

 _Sono toki, sora wo yurashita anata no egaku kiseki ga_

 _Watashi ni utau yuuki wo kureta no_

 _Ikiru koto sore dake de marude jikan ga nai yo_

 _Dakara mou yuruganai kono omoi wa_

"I didn't think you were such a dancer, Jack!" Alice said as she and Jack repeatedly stepped on the ground rhythmically. "Did Hatter teach you?"

"That's right," Jack replied. "Ready to give it your all, Alice?"

"I would love to!" Alice responded gladly and the music repeated it's chorus. Both she and Jack spun around once and shuffled across the dance floor. This amazed the crowd prompting them to cheer louder. Jack and Alice's friends were so impressed that most of them could not help putting on a huge smile. Haru and Michiru in particular, were chuckling. A small grin crossed Gretel's face as she observed Jack and Alice's fluid movements. Excited by the turn of events, Hameln was repeatedly crying out "Bravo!"

As the music was about to reach it's conclusion, Jack and Alice moved close to one another. The pair wrapped up their performance by doing the waltz and then posing gracefully in front of their audience. Clapping filled the hall once again. Whistles were heard among the students. Red Riding Hood and the remaining Blood Maidens went to Jack and Alice as the couple shared a quick hug. Also joining them were Hatter, March and Drake.

"That… was amazing!" an astounded Thumbelina said to Jack. "How could you move around like that?!"

"Aw, we gave our man Jack here some lessons," Hatter, who stood next to Thumbelina answered. "And Jack sure hit the dance floor harder than Michael Jackson,"

"I don't know who that is but, you were really awesome, Jack! And you too, Alice!" Red Riding Hood said grinning.

"Thanks, Red Riding Hood," Alice replied pleasantly.

"Yeah, thanks," Jack did the same. "I didn't think we could pull it off but we did eventually," As soon as he finished talking, everyone at his side heard the students cry out "Encore!" repeatedly. Jack's group looked around as the same word was cried out many times.

"It seems the audience wishes for more," Gretel stated.

"You don't say. To be honest, I don't mind going for another round. It was pretty fun dancing in front of everyone," Holding Alice's hand, Jack said, "What do you think, Alice?"

"I was thinking the same, Jack," Alice replied as she and Jack gazed at each other lovingly. "The night is young so, why not?"

"In that case, may I propose that we all take the stage?" suggested an eager Hameln.

"So, you gals are in the mood to dance your heart out. With that said…" Hatter grinned. Holding his microphone up, he addressed the audience. "Fellas! Thank you for watching Jack in action. And as you requested, we will give you your encore. And this encore will be presented by none other than yours truly as well as Jack and the girls here. Ladies and gentleman, let's rock this joint!"

"YEAH!" A majority of the students shouted, exhilarated.

"H-Hold on a second!" an uncertain Thumbelina shot Hatter a glance. "Isn't this a bit too sudden?!"

"Come on, Thumby, it'll be fine," Hatter assured. "Just follow my lead. Like when you and yo sisters did in the restaurant that night,"

"You seriously mean that?" Thumbelina lifted an eyebrow.

"You bet ah do. So, you with me or not?"

"Well, alright," Thumbelina chuckled. "I guess if you can't beat them, join them,"

"Now that's the spirit," Nodding approvingly, Hatter spoke to the DJ. "DJ, let's hit it once more!" Snapping his fingers, the DJ played another track on his turntable, a J-pop song with hints of hip-hop in it. Immediately, Hatter moved away from his companions and started things off.

"Okay, fellas. It's show time!" After saying this to Jack's group, Hatter began to dance.

 _Got me something true now_

 _I'm not looking anymore_

 _The times of fakin' love are through now_

 _Sharing real connections what we're made for_

 _Come on, let go of the remote_

 _Don't you know you're letting all the junk flood in?_

 _I try to stop the flow,_

 _Double-clicking on the go_

 _But it's no use hey, I'm being consumed_

 _And I went with the flow,_

 _Double trouble on the go,_

 _Posers kept posing,_

 _I'm opposing against these foes_

 _Please know_

 _I'm the roses that grew out_

 _From the concrete jungle_

Midway through the lyrics, March and Drake joined Hatter. March was making swift and graceful hand movements while Drake was doing kick steps. The kicker however, was when Drake wowed the crowd by doing the windmill.

"What is that?!" Thumbelina exclaimed as she gawked at Drake's moves. Even Jack and the other Blood Maidens could not believe their eyes. Minutes before the song reached it's chorus, March and Drake moved to Snow White and Sleeping Beauty respectively.

"Shall we, Snow White?" March asked courteously as he and Drake offered their hands to their respective partners.

"Why, yes, Snow White would love to!" a happy Snow White replied. Sleeping Beauty nodded in agreement with her.

"Woohoo!" Red Riding Hood exclaimed cheerfully. "I feel like wanting to dance as well! Let's do this, everybody!"

"Yay! Rapunzel wants to dance too!" Rapunzel said cheerily.

"Ohoho! So do I!" Cinderella said.

"Alright, let's do this!" At Thumbelina's words, she and her sisters together with Red Riding Hood, Cinderella and Rapunzel joined Hatter's trio. When the chorus started, they began to dance. Red Riding Hood swayed her body rhythmically, Cinderella mixed in some martial arts moves into her dancing and Rapunzel jumped around happily. As for Thumbelina and her sisters, they matched their movements with Hatter and his trio's.

 _Not a day goes by without me thinking 'bout_

 _The way the world stopped mid-motion_

 _When you walked into my life and we connected_

 _Like we shared the same mad potion_

 _Couldn't help but move_

 _The threads of fate had spun us_

 _Into each other's lives by chance_

 _All this energy's got us inspired now_

 _We couldn't stop it,_

 _Just set it free and..._

 _Dance!_

After the chorus, the audience cheered and the music reached an interlude. At Hameln's encouragement, she, Gretel and Kaguya joined the dancers. Jack and Alice followed suit. Right when they did, Mamoru quickly approached them much to their surprise. "You guys mind if I join?" he asked.

"Huh? Do you dance?" a curious Jack responded.

"You'll soon see," A small grin crossed Mamoru's face. You all were so impressive I can't help but, feel like joining you all,"

"Very well, if such is your desire then, let us dance to our hearts' contempt-Content!" Hameln declared.

"Okay, Hameln, let's do this!" Hearing Jack's words, all at his side began to dance together as a group.

 _We got something strong now_

 _We're not hiding anymore_

 _The times of phony love are gone now_

 _Only special friends come in through (yes) our door_

 _Live a real life_

 _Don't be possessed by whoever_

 _No time to waste_

 _Keep on moving_

 _Whether on or off the beat,_

 _It don't matter if you never give up_

 _Life keeps on grooving_

 _Embrace a heartbeat and step to it step to it_

 _Connect with it hold it tight_

 _Spider web to it_

 _Told you once_

 _Ain't nobody can hold me down_

"Hey, not bad, Mamoru!" Red Riding Hood said to Mamoru who was dancing pretty well himself. "I didn't know you could dance!"

"Well, I used to in my past life as the Major," Mamoru smirked. "Didn't think I still had it,"

"Anyway, as Hatter said, let's hit it!" Saying this, Red Riding Hood and her company resumed their dance routine by moving their hands and stepping to the beat.

 _Not a day goes by_

 _Without me feeling thankful_

 _'Bout our profound devotion_

 _Since you walked into my life and all around me_

 _Everything just stopped mid-motion_

 _Like a high wire act,_

 _No compromise with truth,_

 _The radiant intensity we share_

 _All this energy's got us inspired now,_

 _Wanna dance_

 _Wanna share this magic bond_

 _Like we shared the same mad potion_

 _When you walked into my life and we connected_

 _Like we shared a magic dance_

Arika was cheering to Jack's group as they continued dancing. She and the rest of the Dawn along with Michiru and Hitsuka became more amazed as they watched Jack and his group's performance.

 _Straight away,_

 _Going my way_

 _Let the nonchalant be commandant to themselves_

 _But we're taking over,_

 _Making over,_

 _The lame shame claim they make,_

 _Game's over_

 _Is it a spell or magic?_

 _Imagine what happens different age different passion_

 _What I'm asking I can't call it,_

 _If I ain't got my crew I won't be dancing_

 _So baby go for it_

 _Feel the vibe_

 _Gonna touch down make this dive_

 _It keeps me alive_

 _The melody_

 _The flow_

 _The beat_

 _The heart_

 _Together we ride_

 _All this energy's got us inspired now,_

 _We couldn't stop it, just set it free and..._

 _Dance!_

During the last few verses, the dancers upped their beat by shuffling their feet quickly. At the song's end, they did a few more steps and posed in front of the audience. Again, cheers and clapping filled the assembly hall. After Hatter calmed the audience down, the partygoers resumed chatting at their tables. In the midst of this, the Dawn, Michiru, Hitsuka, Hinata and Ichijo's gang approached Jack and his company.

"Well, I'll be darned, Jack," said an impressed Haru. "Never thought you and the girls could dance,"

"And they're quite skilled at that I'd say!" Towa added cheerfully.

"Thanks, Towa," Red Riding Hood giggled.

"You beat up monsters and then, you can dance," an excited Sanji said to Jack and those who danced with him. "You all are crazy you know that?"

"If that is a compliment, I would say it is a direct one," Gretel remarked.

"Speaking of which, you really were great, Mamoru," Red Riding Hood turned to look at Mamoru. "How come you didn't ask Hikari to dance with you by the way?"

"Well, she was feeling a little shy about the idea so, I didn't want to force her," Mamoru said, glancing at Hikari.

"Aw, you should have, Mamoru," Putting on a mischievous grin, Red Riding Hood said, "I think you two would match well as a dance couple,"

"What's that supposed to mean?" a slightly perplexed Mamoru said.

"Now that the dance is over, what shall we do next?" Snow White asked.

"Yeah, what should we do?" Hinata said.

"Ain't it obvious?" Hatter said to everybody. "We party some more. Night is still young, you know,"

"I advise that we should not spend too much of our energy tonight since we have school tomorrow," Kaguya said.

"It's funny to hear you say that since you don't spend a lot of energy most of the time, Princess Lazy," stated Thumbelina.

"Actually, I have a suggestion," Alice said to her friends. "How about all of us go for a walk in the park? We originally thought of going there today," Holding Jack's hand, she added, "And I'd also like to spend time alone with Jack. If it's alright,"

"Well, what do we have here? I see you two are having a date. Just don't do anything inappropriate all right?" Towa said to Jack and Alice, his voice having a hint of mischief.

"Towa!" a slightly displeased Red Riding Hood said.

"Whoa, relax! I didn't mean anything bad in particular," Towa responded in good nature.

"I agree with Alice," Looking at his companions aside from the Blood Maidens, Jack said, "And you all can join us too,"

"Really? Thanks," Hinata appreciated Jack's invitation and so did Hatter's trio, Ichijo's gang, Michiru, Hitsuka and the Dawn.

"Well, what're we waiting for? Let's go," Thumbelina said.

"Sure thing, Thumby. Lemme go ask the DJ to handle things while we're out. I'll catch up with y'all soon," Hatter walked off to the stage.

"With that said," Once Hatter left, Mr. Shiro spoke. "Shall we depart?"

"Yup. Let's go everyone!" Red Riding Hood spoke with enthusiasm.

"Yay!" Rapunzel cried out happily. With that, Jack and his group made their way to the assembly hall's door exchanging small talk along the way. A lot has happened ever since Jack and the Blood Maidens entered Wonder Ville. In the midst of their normal life, they were made aware that threats pertaining to the Jail can still arise.

Despite this, everyone was happy. It is not that they are ignoring the fact that Marchens can still appear anytime. Nor are they hiding any unpleasant thoughts. It is that they are cherishing the time they are spending together. This is especially true for Jack and Alice whom are now holding hands like a loving couple. To the two of them, nothing is more important than sharing their experiences with their friends and with each other. With this, Jack and the Blood Maidens' ordinary life persists. And so will their tales.

Their tales of halcyon days…

 _FIN_


	14. Author's Thanks and Credits

_Dear Readers/Writers_ ,

 _After 8 months, this story has finally been completed! I would like to thank the people who have read and/or reviewed this story for the support you have given until the end_.

 _Some of you are wondering if there will be a sequel to this story. Regarding that, I must first look into the sequel to_ " _Mary Skelter: Nightmares_ " _called_ " _Mary Skelter 2_ " _which will be released on 12 July 2018 (previously 28 June 2018)_.

 _In the meantime, do visit my profile and kindly review and share my stories. Your support is much appreciated_.

 _Here's to a bright future and happy writing_!

* * *

Credits

Mary Skelter: Nightmares belongs to

COMPILE HEART

Songs:

Chapter 4-"Best Looking Guy In Town" by Natural Born Hippies

Chapter 5-"Mary Jane" by Rick James

Chapter 6-"Smooth" by Santana

Chapter 9-"Closer I Get To You" by Roberta Flack, "I Feel Good" by James Brown

Chapter 12-"Closer I Get To You" by Roberta Flack, "Rune ga Pikatto Hikattara (Macross Delta X Earth, Wind and Fire Ver.)" by Walküre, "Dance!" by Lotus Juice and Shihoko Hirata


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